GRILLING FISH

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Rinse the fish in cold water and pat it dry. Place in a large covered plastic bowl or dish. Chop the garlic, cilantro, and parsley in a food processor (or mince by hand). Blend in the rest of the ingredients so that the marinade resembles a pesto. Smear the pesto on each side of the fish and stack the steaks in the bowl. Cover and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes, but not more than two hours. While you're waiting for medium-hot coals, place the steaks on a platter. Spread the marinade on the steaks and salt and pepper them. Grill four or five minutes per side and transfer to a serving platter. Be sure not to overcook them or they'll be dry. Serve with grilled potatoes and a green salad.

Fast Fish

This is for when you're in a "let's slap the fish on the grill and throw on a few hot dogs for the kids" mood. This works best with fish steaks that have a firm flesh. 3—4 firm-fleshed fish steaks or fillets (tuna, swordfish, shark, halibut, salmon, or even catfish)
1 cup of your favorite bottled salsa (we use Arriba smoked tomato salsa) or your homemade salsa
2 tablespoons lime juice
freshly ground pepper
chopped cilantro leaves (optional)

Place the fish steaks in a shallow pan (like a glass pie plate), patting them dry with a paper towel. Mix together the salsa, lime juice, and ground pepper in a small bowl. Spoon over the steaks, flip the steaks over, and spoon onto the other side. Cover with plastic wrap and start the fire. Grill the steaks when the fire is ready for about 10 minutes (5 minutes per side) an inch. Serve them immediately, topped with cilantro.

Grilling Tips

• A cold fish sticks to the grill, so remove the fish from the refrigerator just before you start the fire.

• When you're preparing the coals, add some mesquite or other wood chips to give the fish a distinct smoky flavor. Soak the chips in water for at least 20 minutes before using or add some at the start and again just before removing the fish.

• Cook your fish on a medium fire, which means that you can hold your hand six inches above the coals for three or four seconds without screaming.

• To cover or not to cover? That depends. If you have a Weber-style grill, you'll probably want to at least partially cover anything that you grill so it will have a smokier flavor. With fish it's best to only cover larger fish steaks or a whole fish which takes longer to cook.

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