Grilled Sardines And Asparagus With Citrus Chiles And Sesame Recipes

GRILLED ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON DRESSING

Steps:

• Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus; most spears will break naturally an inch or two above the bottom. Peel the stalks up to the flower bud. Meanwhile, start a grill or preheat a cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it smokes.
• To grill the asparagus, toss them with about 1 tablespoon of the oil, mixing with your hands until they're coated. Season well with salt and pepper to taste. Grill until tender and browned in spots, turning once or twice, a total of 5 to 10 minutes.
• To pan-grill the asparagus, do not oil or season them. Just toss them in the hot skillet and cook, turning the individual spears as they brown, until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove as they finish and season with salt and pepper.
• Mix together the lemon juice and shallot, then stir in enough olive oil to add a little body and take the edge off the sharpness of the lemon; the mixture should still be quite strong. Season it with salt and plenty of black pepper and stir in the parsley. Serve the asparagus hot or at room temperature with grilled or broiled swordfish, monkfish, or other sturdy fish. Spoon the sauce over all.
• You could serve these grilled asparagus with any of the vinaigrettes on page 304 in lieu of the lemon-shallot-parsley mixture here. If you were serving them as part of an Asian-themed meal, you might swap out the dressing in this recipe for Soy-Ginger Dressing: Combine 1/4 cup soy sauce with 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 2 teaspoons rice or other mild vinegar, and a few drops of sesame oil. Serve over the asparagus.

SIMPLE GRILLED SARDINES

Steps:

• Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire or stovetop grill pan, or light the broiler.
• Season sardines inside and out with salt and pepper and paint both sides lightly with olive oil.
• Lay sardines on the grill and cook them on one side for about 2 minutes, until nicely browned. (Sardines rarely stick to the grill.) Carefully flip sardines and cook for about 2 minutes more, until just done.
• Transfer each portion to individual plates. Put the sliced fennel in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dress with about 2 tablespoons olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Place a pile of dressed fennel evenly on each plate. Serve with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of parsley.

GRILLED BALSAMIC ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Snap off tough ends of asparagus and wash well through 2-3 changes of cold water.
• Combine all ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, seal and marinate for 30-60 minutes.
• Preheat grill on high heat.
• Remove asparagus from bag (discard marinade) and place on preheated oiled grill rack.
• Grill 5 minutes on each side or until asparagus is done.

THE BEST GRILLED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium heat. Chop the tough, woody ends off the asparagus (about 1 inch) and peel another inch of the stalks.
• Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl. Add the asparagus and toss until well coated.
• Put the asparagus on the grill at an angle so the stalks don't fall through the grates. Grill, flipping halfway through cooking, until the asparagus begin to char, the pointy ends start to crisp and the stalks are just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a platter and sprinkle with the feta and mint.

GRILLED MOROCCAN SARDINES

Steps:

• Place sardines in a single layer in a nonreactive dish. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl, pour mixture over the sardines and turn sardines to coat. Cover and let marinate 1 hour.
• Grill or broil sardines until cooked through, about 2 minutes on each side.

GRILLED SARDINES

Steps:

• Prepare a hot grill, making sure the grill is oiled. Rinse the sardines, and dry with paper towels. Toss with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• When the grill is ready, toss the rosemary sprigs directly on the fire. Wait for the flames to die down, then place the sardines directly over the heat, in batches if necessary. Grill for a minute or two on each side, depending on the size. Transfer from the grill to a platter using tongs or a wide metal spatula, and serve with lemon wedges.