This recipe works well with just about any type of fish, but I use it most often with striped bass and halibut. In addition to broiling, the fish can be cooked over smoky barbecue coals or in a sauté pan with some butter and white wine. The recipe calls for fillets, but smaller whole or halved fish work well also. To roast the garlic, place the whole garlic cloves in a pan, uncovered, and bake in a 325-degree oven until evenly golden browned, but not burnt. If you get distracted and burn the garlic, start over. Burnt garlic tastes bitter, not better. 4 servings

• 4 6 to 8 ounce fish fillets
• *** salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup whole garlic cloves, roasted (see above)
• 1 lemon, juice only
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Season fillets with salt and pepper and place them in a lightly greased shallow baking dish. Broil about 8 to 10 inches away from the heat source until lightly browned. To prepare sauce, process the vinegar with the next 4 ingredients in a food processor or blender until well blended. While motor is running, add oil in a thin stream until emulsified. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. To serve, drizzle room temperature sauce over warm fish.

When I make my yearly visit to South Carolina, I can't seem to get enough grouper or local oysters. I coaxed this recipe from a seasoned home chef while sitting in an inland tavern after a successful day of black bass fishing. I've adjusted this recipe a few times to suit my own taste.

6 servings

• 2 1/2 pounds fresh grouper fillet, cut into 36 equal pieces
• 1 medium Vidalia onion, quartered and broken into pieces (you may substitute another variety of sweet onion)
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• pinch salt
• 12 wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes

Skewer onion and slide to end of skewer. Skewer piece of grouper, stopping at onion. Repeat procedure so that there is 3 pieces each of onion and grouper on each skewer. Season skewers with remaining ingredients. Grill each of 4 sides of skewers over a medium temperature bed of coals for 2 minutes per side until charred, but not overcooked. Remove onion and grouper from skewers and arrange on each plate. Top with warm sauce.
Bourbon Pecan Sauce

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup pecan pieces
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon bourbon whiskey
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, minced
• *** salt and freshly ground pepper

Melt butter a small skillet over medium heat. Add pecan pieces and sauté until lightly browned. Add lemon juice and bourbon. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

How you cook the fish or the type of fish you use is up to you. This spirited vinaigrette is great on just about anything. I like it with grilled fish and warm flour tortillas. Either warm the vinaigrette slightly or serve at room temperature. When the fish is cooked, spoon some of the vinaigrette over, but don’t drown it.

Green Chile Vinaigrette
Serve some extra on the side or save for another time. Also makes a tasty marinade for fish, poultry, pork or upland game.

4 appetizer servings

• 1 4 ounce can roasted green chilies
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• pinch dried oregano
• dash Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• *** salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients except oil in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. While motor is running, add oil in a thin stream until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

This is an incredibly delicious appetizer, although I imagine you could make a meal out of them if you made a pig of yourself and ate a few handfuls. How hot and spicy your poppers are will depend on the type of peppers used and the preparation of the pepper before stuffing. Your basic green jalapeno pepper works great, but you may wish to experiment with other varieties. After roasting, leave a few seeds in the pepper for some extra heat. The inside ribs of the peppers are also a major source of heat, so scrape them out if you want a milder version.

4 appetizer servings

• 20 jalapeno peppers
• 1 cup cooked fish fillets, broken into small chunks
• 1/3 cup tomato, seeded and finely diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup black olives, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup jack cheese
• 1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Place peppers on a baking sheet and place under broiler until skin is blackened and charred. Remove pan from oven and turn peppers over to char another side. Repeat process until all peppers are thoroughly blackened. Place charred peppers in a paper bag, fold top of bag over and allow peppers to steam in bag for 10 minutes. Remove peppers and allow to cool. To remove charred skin, use a paper towel and gently rub skin off. Leaving a few bits of skin is fine. Cut a slit in each pepper and remove seeds with a small knife. Combine remaining ingredients and stuff into peppers. Place stuffed peppers, seam side up, onto baking sheet and place into a preheated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

The sweet flavors of freshly squeezed orange juice and honey are balanced with just enough vinegar and jalapeno pepper so that the marinade doesn’t overpower the fish. Trout has a delicate flavor so you don’t want to bury it in strong flavors. The marinade is great chicken, pork and shellfish as well.
4 servings

• 4 1 pound trout (weight after cleaning)
  *** salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup orange juice

Marinade

• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup red onion, minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Season trout evenly with salt and pepper. Place trout in a plastic, ceramic or glass container and pour marinade over. Cover and refrigerate for 2 – 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Place marinated trout over medium-hot coals. Cook for 6 – 8 minutes per side or until skin is crispy and trout is just cooked.

Tender bay shrimp and freshly snipped chives contribute to this delectable treat featuring fresh-caught cold water halibut. If you are preparing this dish "up north" after a memorable day of halibut fishing, you may be unable to procure a fresh avocado and chives. If this is the case, substitute with prepared guacamole and green onions.

• 4 6 to 8 ounce halibut fillets, skin removed
• *** salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup flour
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons yellow onion, minced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup bay shrimp
• 3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
• 1 ripe but firm avocado, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• *** juice of 1 lemon

Season fillets with salt and pepper and then dust with four. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and all of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté fillets on each side for 3 to 4 minutes or until just firm. Remove fillets and place on a warmed plate or platter. Add remaining butter and onions to skillet and sauté for 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any bits. Reduce liquid to 1 tablespoon. Add cream and cook until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in shrimp and chives and return fish to skillet to warm.

Gently toss diced avocado with lemon. Place one warmed fillet on each plate and drizzle shrimp and chive sauce over fish. Top with diced avocado.

I think I've been spending way too much time in the South. I want to fry everything and add three cups of sugar to my iced tea. I begin every sentence with "I tell you what…"
My therapist says it will take a few more sessions to work it out. This salad combines the flavors of southern fried catfish with the seasonings of a spicy southwestern dressing. I've thrown in some orange segments to take the edge off of the heat. You could also add some grapefruit, mango or avocado. Grilling the corn really brings out the flavor and natural sugars. If you don't feel like firing up the grill just to brown the corn, remove the corn kernels from the cob and brown them in a hot dry skillet.

• 1 1/2 pounds catfish fillets, cut into long 1/2 inch thick strips
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• *** oil for frying
• 2 medium corn tortillas, sliced into thin strips
• 1 cup orange segments
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into 3 - 4 inch long strips
• 2 romaine lettuce hearts, torn into 4 - 5 inch pieces
• 2 cups mixed spring greens or substitute any colorful lettuces
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
• 2 ears fresh corn, shucke

Dressing

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons ground ancho or New Mexico chile powder
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Prepare dressing. Add first 7 ingredients to processor and blend. Add oil in a thin stream until emulsified. Adjust seasonings. Grill corn until browned. Allow to cool and remove kernels. Combine flour with next four ingredients in a bowl or plastic bag. Add fish and coat evenly. Heat oil and fry fish until golden brown. Drain on paper towels..

Here’s a great versatile marinade that works well on just about any type of fish. Combine fish and/or shellfish with marinade and refrigerate for at least one hour.

• 2 cups marinade
• 3 green onions, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2/3 cup sake or dry sherry
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients well.

This recipe works well with just about any type of fish, but I use it most often with striped bass and halibut. In addition to broiling, the fish can be cooked over smoky barbecue coals or in a sautÈ pan with some butter and white wine. The recipe calls for fillets, but smaller whole or halved fish work well also. To roast the garlic, place the whole garlic cloves in a pan, uncovered, and bake in a 325-degree oven until evenly golden browned, but not burnt. If you get distracted and burn the garlic, start over. Burnt garlic tastes bitter, not better.

• 4 6 to 8 ounce fish fillets
• *** salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup whole garlic cloves, roasted (see above)
• 1 lemon, juice only
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Season fillets with salt and pepper and place them in a lightly greased shallow baking dish. Broil about 8 to 10 inches away from the heat source until lightly browned. To prepare sauce, process the vinegar with the next 4 ingredients in a food processor or blender until well blended. While motor is running, add oil in a thin stream until emulsified. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. To serve, drizzle room temperature sauce over warm fish.