HEALTHY BARBECUE
As the barbecue season gets underway with Memorial Day right around the corner, Chef Jim Coleman, host of Healthy Flavors® and Flavors of America®, which air on the Comcast Network, recommends grilled seafood as an excellent and healthy choice. To make sure your holiday meal turns out just right, Chef Coleman offers a few suggestions when cooking fish on the grill that you can try right away on this quick and simple Grilled Black Bass and Mango and Papaya Salsa recipe.
"Use fish that has a firm texture, unless you're planning to grill a whole fish," suggested Coleman.
"For filets, I would recommend salmon, tuna or swordfish. If you like to marinate your fish, only marinate the fish for about an hour, otherwise the fish will start to taste like ceviche!"
Coleman, who doesn't use aluminum foil when grilling fish, advised home chefs to make sure the grill is very hot and clean and to not move the fish around too much after setting the oiled, skinless filet on the grill and then carefully turn using a spatual after a few minutes.
"I like to season the fish when I take it off the grill, because otherwise, the seasoning can make the fish stick to the grill. And if you're grilling shrimp, put them on a skewer so it is easier to turn them. If you're grilling lobster, split them in half, crack the claws, and grill them shell-side down the whole time, otherwise, the tail will get done and the claws are still raw."
Grilled Black Bass with Mango and Papaya Salsa
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- ripe mangos, peeled, pitted and diced
- 2 ripe papayas, peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespon chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1-1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 black bass fillets (about 8 ounces each)
To prepare the salsa, place the mangos, papayas, onion, bell pepper, cilantro, mint, lime juice, jalapeño, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and thoroughly combine. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours to let the flavors marry.
Prepare the grill. Season the bass with salt and pepper and grill over direct mediuim-high heat for about 4 minutes on each side. Serve with the salsa.
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