Creamy Barbecued Bluefish Recipes

GRILLED BLUEFISH PAILLARDS

Steps:

• Fillet bluefish, removing skin, to make 4 10-to 12-ounce fillets. Holding your knife almost parallel to work surface, slice each fillet into 4 broad, thin slices. In a glass baking dish, season bluefish paillards with garlic, salt and pepper. Pour olive oil over and turn several times to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Prepare a hot charcoal fire. Oil grill well. Brush garlic from paillards and grill about 1 minute per side, or until just done. Serve 4 paillards per person, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil a

GRILLED BLUEFISH

Steps:

• Clean and scale fish. Stuff abundant quantities of fresh herbs into the cavity, then add slices of lemon, and chopped garlic. Brush skin on both sides with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and if desired put into fish-grilling basket and clamp shut. Grill for approximately 6 minutes on each side, turning fish only once. Garnish with more fresh herbs and sliced lemon and serve. Roast potatoes and grilled summer vegetables go well with this dish. Tip: Bluefish caught early in the season, though smaller, are much less oily than those caught later in the summer.;

SUPER SUMMER GRILLED BLUEFISH

Steps:

• Place the fish fillets into a large bowl. Pour in the orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, olive oil and white wine. Season with salt, pepper and seafood rub. Stir to blend and coat fish. Leave the squeezed lemon and lime halves in the bowl too. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat a grill for high heat. When the grill is hot, oil the grate.
• Place fish fillets on the grill, and discard the marinade. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until fish flakes with a fork. Transfer to a serving platter, and remove the dark blue part of the fish before serving.

ORANGE-SCENTED BLUEFISH

Steps:

• Remove the fish from the brine and pat it dry. Brush it with a mixture of the olive oil and orange zest. Place the fish, skin side down, on the grill away from the coals of a small fire. Add a few chunks of wood to the coals and cover the grill. For bluefish, I prefer a fruit or nut wood such as peach, pecan, apple, or cherry. Orange wood is also a fun choice. Close the air intake to just a sliver and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet and intensity of the fire. When the fish is cooked, it will have a beautiful rusty hue and the meat will flake under gentle pressure. Gently remove the filets to a platter and serve immediately. I like to remove the skin of bluefish and the underlying darkly colored bloodline just beneath it, as these can have strong flavors that some guests do not appreciate. It also helps to remove some of the toxins that are a concern with bluefish, as they tend to aggregate just under the skin.

SPECIAL OCCASION SMOKED BLUEFISH PATE

Steps:

• Break up smoked bluefish and place in a food processor with cream cheese. Use pulse setting to blend smooth. Mix in prepared Dijon-style mustard and horseradish. Blend to desired consistency. Increase amounts of mustard and horseradish, if desired. Cover and chill in the refrigerator 6 hours, or overnight, before serving.