The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (242 page)

MAKES ABOUT
¹⁄
₂
CUP; ENOUGH FOR 1 RECIPE
GRILLED SALMON FILLETS

Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to recombine before serving.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

We wanted glazed grilled salmon that would allow the glaze not only to form a glossy, deeply caramelized crust, but also to permeate the flesh, making the last bite every bit as good as the first. Marinating the fish in soy sauce seasoned it through and through, but we needed to add a viscous sweetener, either honey or maple syrup, to help the marinade cling to the fish. Oiling the cooking grate multiple times prevented sticking, a particular problem when grilling fish. Searing the salmon over high heat, then brushing it with some of the glaze, and finally pulling it to the cooler side of the grill to cook through gave us the best grilled glazed salmon we had ever tried.

SERVES 4

Scraping the cooking grate clean and oiling the grate will help prevent the fish from sticking.

1.
Measure 2 tablespoons glaze into bowl for serving and set aside.

2.
Whisk soy sauce and maple syrup together in 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Use sharp knife to remove any whitish fat from belly of salmon and cut fillet into 4 equal pieces. Place fillets skin side up in baking dish (do not coat salmon skin with marinade) and refrigerate fish while preparing grill, at least 20 minutes.

3A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL:
Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour two-thirds evenly over grill, then pour remaining coals over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

3B. FOR A GAS GRILL:
Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes.

4.
Clean cooking grate, then repeatedly brush grate with well-oiled paper towels until black and glossy, 5 to 10 times. Remove salmon from marinade and season with pepper. Place fish flesh side down on grill (hot side if using charcoal) with fillets diagonal to grate. Cook (covered if using gas) until grill marks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Flip fish, brush with glaze, and cook until salmon is opaque about halfway up thickness of fillets, 3 to 5 minutes.

5.
Brush fillets again with glaze, then flip and move to cool side of grill (if using charcoal) or turn all burners down to medium-low (if using gas). Cook until center is still translucent when checked with tip of paring knife and registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 1 to 3 minutes longer.

6.
Transfer fillets to serving platter, brush with reserved 2 tablespoons glaze, and serve with lemon wedges.

Bring ¹⁄
₄
cup maple syrup and 2 tablespoons soy sauce to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until thickened slightly, 3 to 4 minutes.

Bring ¹⁄
₄
cup honey and 2 tablespoons soy sauce to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until thickened slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Off heat, whisk in 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard.

Offer lime wedges instead of lemon wedges when serving.

Bring ¹⁄
₄
cup maple syrup, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until thickened slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Off heat, whisk in 2 tablespoons lime juice.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Blackened fish is usually prepared in a cast-iron skillet, but it can lead to a relentlessly smoky kitchen. We thought we’d solve this issue by throwing our fish on the grill, but this introduced a host of new challenges—curled fillets that stuck to the grill and spices that tasted raw and harsh. To prevent curling fillets, we simply needed to score the skin. We solved the sticking problem by oiling the grate with a heavy hand. Finally, to give the fish its flavorful “blackened but not burned” coating, we bloomed our spice mixture in melted butter, allowed it to cool, and then applied the coating to the fish. Once on the grill, the spice crust acquired the proper depth and richness while the fish cooked through.

SERVES 4

Striped bass, halibut, or grouper can be substituted for the snapper; if the fillets are thicker or thinner, they will have slightly different cooking times. For a gas grill, we super-heat the cooking grate by pressing aluminum foil directly onto the surface before cooking; be sure to use heavy-duty foil (thin foil will melt), and skip this step if your grill has ceramic cooking grates (it may damage the ceramic). Serve the fish with lemon wedges, Rémoulade, or Pineapple and Cucumber Salsa with Mint (recipes follow).

1.
Combine paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, coriander, salt, cayenne, black pepper, and white pepper in bowl. Melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Stir in spice mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and spices turn dark rust color, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to pie plate and let cool to room temperature. Use a fork to break up any large clumps.

2A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL:
Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter three-quarters filled with charcoal briquettes (4¹⁄
₂
quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

2B. FOR A GAS GRILL:
Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes.

3.
Clean cooking grate, then repeatedly brush grate with well-oiled paper towels until black and glossy, 5 to 10 times.

4.
Meanwhile, pat fillets dry with paper towels. Using sharp knife, make shallow diagonal slashes every inch along skin side of fish, being careful not to cut into flesh. Place fillets skin side up on large plate. Using your fingers, rub spice mixture in thin, even layer on top and sides of fish. Flip fillets over and repeat on other side (you should use all of spice mixture).

5.
Place fish skin side down on grill (hot side if using charcoal) with fillets diagonal to grate. Cook until skin is very dark brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip fish and continue to cook until dark brown and beginning to flake and center is opaque but still moist, about 5 minutes longer. Serve.

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS, ENOUGH FOR 1 RECIPE
GRILLED BLACKENED RED SNAPPER

To make this dish spicier, add the reserved chile seeds.

Combine pineapple, cucumber, shallot, chile, mint, 1 tablespoon lime juice, ginger, and ¹⁄
₂
teaspoon salt in bowl and let sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes. Season with lime juice, salt, and sugar to taste. Transfer to serving bowl.

MAKES ABOUT
¹⁄
₂
CUP, ENOUGH FOR 1 RECIPE
GRILLED BLACKENED RED SNAPPER

The rémoulade can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Pulse all ingredients in food processor until well combined but not smooth, about 10 pulses. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving bowl.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Ideally, grilled tuna should combine a hot, smoky, charred exterior with a cool, rare, sashimi-like center. Grilling tuna to this degree of perfection might be old hat for a practiced chef, but for the home cook, who grills tuna as a once-in-awhile treat during the summer, the ideal can be elusive. For grilled tuna steaks with an intense smoky char and a tender interior, we started with a hot grill. We moistened the tuna steaks’ flesh with a vinaigrette to promote browning and allow the oil to penetrate the meat of the tuna steaks. And instead of using sugar in our vinaigrette, we used honey. Both promote browning, but honey does it faster.