Bobby Flay's Grill It! (18 page)

I love grilled pineapple not only for dessert but also in a relish such as this one served with grilled fish. Jicama tastes like a cross between an apple and a cucumber and has an amazing crunch that complements the soft texture of the grilled pineapple and red bell pepper.

Serves 4

1. Heat your grill to high.
   
2. Brush the pineapple and bell pepper with 2 tablespoons of the canola oil. Grill the pineapple until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes. Grill the bell pepper until charred on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pineapple from the grill and cut into small dice. Remove the bell pepper from the grill, put it in a bowl, and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes before peeling, seeding, and finely dicing the pepper.
   
3. Combine the pineapple, bell pepper, jicama, onion, chiles, vinegar, olive oil, and basil in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the halibut. The salsa can be made 8 hours in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
   
4. Brush the halibut on both sides with the remaining 2 tablespoons canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the fillets on the grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the fish over and continue grilling until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes longer.
   
5. Serve the fish fillets topped with the salsa.
   

Every time I go to southern California, I search out the nearest taquería and order a few fish tacos, and as I eat them, think I have died and gone to heaven. How can something as humble as a piece of fish folded up in a tortilla with some cabbage and salsa bring so much pleasure? You just need to try them for yourself to figure it out.

Serves 4 to 6

1. Heat your grill to high.
   
2. Brush the fish on both sides with the oil and season with the ancho powder and salt. Place the fillets on the grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the fish over and continue grilling until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Remove the fish and let rest for 5 minutes before shredding into bite-sized pieces.
   
3. While the fish is resting, wrap the tortillas in foil and place on the grill for 5 minutes to warm through.
   
4. Lay the warm tortillas on a flat surface and drizzle with some of the chipotle crema. Top with fish, cabbage, onion, cilantro leaves, and salsa. Fold and eat with a squeeze of lime juice.
   

Makes 1 cup

Whisk together the crème fraîche, chipotle puree, and salt in a small bowl. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 day before serving.

Makes 2 cups

Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chile, lime juice, oil, salt, pepper, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving. The salsa can be made 2 hours ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

This full-flavored, fresh green sauce is the Italian version of
salsa verde
and is very different from the southwestern version (made with roasted tomatillos, onions, and lots of cilantro) that you will find at my restaurant Mesa Grill. This vibrant sauce also goes well with grilled chicken, lamb, and beef.

Serves 4

1. Combine the parsley, chives, capers, garlic, lemon juice, anchovies, mustard, honey, and 2 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor and pulse 5 to 7 times until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the extra-virgin olive oil and blend until emulsified. The sauce can be made 4 hours in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
   
2. Heat your grill to high.
   
3. Brush the fish on both sides with the canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the fish for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until lightly golden brown and slightly charred.
   
4. Remove the fish from the grill and top each fillet with some of the salsa verde. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs, if desired.
   

Fire-roasted and hand-peeled
pimientos del piquillo
(piquillo peppers) are a unique specialty of Navarra, Spain. Unlike red bell peppers, the piquillo is slightly piquant but not hot. They are available online, but if you don’t have them on hand, you can substitute grilled red bell peppers in this recipe. I add a little chipotle puree to heighten the spiciness of the pepper, but feel free to leave it out; the pesto will be just as good. This pesto is also great tossed with pasta or mixed into mayonnaise as a condiment for any sandwich or burger.

Serves 4

1. Combine the parsley, chives, thyme, garlic, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Put the fish fillets in a baking dish, pour the marinade over, and turn to coat. Let marinate for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
   
2. Heat your grill to high.
   
3. Remove the fish from the marinade and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the fillets on the grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the fish over and continue grilling until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes longer.
   
4. Remove the fillets from the grill, top with some of the piquillo pesto, and garnish with parsley leaves.
   

Makes 1 cup

Combine the piquillo peppers, garlic, pine nuts, vinegar, and chipotle puree in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and pulse just until combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese, honey, and salt and pepper to taste. The pesto can be made 1 day in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

I like to make this dish during those dark, dragging weeks of winter. For one thing, that’s when citrus is at the peak of its growing season. But more than that: you bring this plate to the table, and it’s just like serving up sunshine. Everything about this cod and relish is bright, fresh, and sunny. This glaze and relish combination is really well balanced: slightly bitter grapefruit and savory red onion keep the relish grounded, and sharply acidic lemon juice and zest counter the super-sweet honey and orange in the glaze.

Serves 4

1. Whisk together the honey, orange and lemon zest and juice, oregano, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature before using.
   
2. Heat your grill to high.
   
3. Brush the cod with the oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Place the cod on the grill and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Brush the top of the fillets with the honey glaze, turn over, and continue grilling until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes longer.
   
4. Remove the cod from the grill, glaze side up, and brush with more of the glaze.
   

Makes 2 cups

Combine the oranges, grapefruit, onion, orange juice, vinegar, honey, oil, and parsley in a medium bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Let the relish sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving. The relish can be made 8 hours in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.