Broiling and grilling are ideal techniques for cooking many fish. The intense heat complements the flavor of the fish by charring its surface; often, little more added flavor is needed, so you can keep seasonings to a minimum.
When to broil, when to grill? Remember that these are two sides of the same coin. In broiling, the heat is above the food, in grilling beneath it. Unless you use hardwood charcoal, the good flavor comes from the interaction of intense heat and the food itself, not from the fuel. So you do not lose much by broiling, which is often easier. Certain fishΓÇöespecially most delicate white fish and thin filletsΓÇöare virtually impossible to grill; they simply fall apart when you try to turn them over. Some whole fish are also tricky. Best for grilling are thick steaks of swordfish, salmon, tuna, and the like; small, firm whole fish such as mackerel, pompano, and red snapper; and, of course, many shellfish (see About Broiling or Grilling Shellfish).
Generally, you want to grill fish over a hot fire (see Grilling). Make sure the grill grates are clean and do not use too much oil on the fish (it causes flare-ups). When applicable, start grilling the fish skin side down, then let the skin firm up for a couple of minutes before you try turning the fish (or, if it is a not-too-thick fillet, cover the grill and do not turn it at all). If you lose the skin to the grill rack, do not worryΓÇöit beats losing the fish. A fish grilling basket can make grilling fillets easier.
You can broil any cut of fish at all, with the exception of whole fish larger than three pounds (these are best roasted). It is a simple technique, especially because you can adjust not only the level of heat but the distance of the fish from the heat source. Preheat the broiler for 15 minutes or so. (If you have an electric oven in which the broiler cycles on and off, preheat the oven to its maximum heat, then switch to the broiler just a couple of minutes before begin-ning to cook the fish.) Position the rack as close to the heat source as you can, use a lightly oiled bak-ing sheet or 13 x 9-inch roasting pan; and, unless the fish is more than an inch thick, do not turn it, for there is enough ambient heat in the oven to cook the bottom of the fish and you want to give the top ample time to brown. If the fish is thick and will take more than 5 minutes or so to broil, you can baste it with marinade, cooking liquid, or a simple flavoring mixture, such as a vinaigrette; if it is thin, this is not necessary.
In addition to the recipes here, you can serve almost any simply broiled or grilled fish with:
Flavored Butters
Flavored Oils
Citrus Sauce
Lemon Beurre Blanc
Beurre Blanc
Tomato Concassé or Fresh Tomato Sauce
Salsa Verde
Vinaigrettes
broiled fillets with olive oil and lemon
grilled fillets with olive oil and lemon
grilled or broiled salmon, tuna, swordfish, or other thick steaks
teriyaki grilled salmon, tuna, swordfish, or other thick steaks
broiled salmon with tomatoes, basil, and mint
grilled salmon with a chili spice rub
grilled or broiled chunks of swordfish or other fish on skewers
grilled or broiled swordfish and nectarine skewers
grilled or broiled monkfish and tomato skewers with moroccan flavors
grilled or broiled whole red snapper or other fish
grilled or broiled whole red snapper with ginger soy vinaigrette
grilled or broiled whole mackerel or trout with bacon
