pat's Recipe

Grilled Chorrillos-Style Sea Bass

Category: Seafood Grilled

2 6-ounce fresh or frozen sea bass or halibut fillets, about 3/4 inch thick
1-1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 of a medium red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1-1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 small fresh jalapeno pepper(s), seeded and finely chopped
2 small yellow or red tomatoes, halved crosswise and cut into wedges
1-1/2 teaspoon snipped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon snipped fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. For paste, in a small bowl stir together ginger, half of the garlic, the sesame oil, the 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cardamom. Use your fingers to rub paste evenly onto both sides of fish. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. Before grilling, drizzle lemon juice over fish.

2. For a charcoal grill, place fish in a greased wire grill basket, tucking under any thin edges. Place basket on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 6 to 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, turning basket once. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish in greased grill basket on grill rack directly over heat. Cover and grill as above.) Or, place fish on the greased unheated rack of a broiler pan, tucking under any thin edges. Broil about 4 inches from the heat for 6 to 9 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large heavy nonstick skillet cook onion in hot olive oil over medium-high heat until tender, stirring frequently. Add jalapeno pepper and the remaining garlic. Cook until onion is golden brown. Add tomatoes, oregano, thyme, the remaining salt, and black pepper. Cook and stir gently until heated through.

4. To serve, place fish on dinner plates. Top with the tomato mixture.
Makes 2 servings.