just until it is no longer pink in the center. The meat will have been thoroughly cooked through but should still be somewhat moist and tender.

Fish and Seafood

Fresh or saltwater fish and shellfish present not only the greatest challenge to a cook but possibly also the greatest rewards. Shrimp, cooked in the shell or marinated in exotic aromatics such as jerk or curry, is possibly one of the most gratifying finger foods ever. Jumbo sea scallops on a skewer between two pieces of pineapple or wrapped in prosciutto is an ultimate dining experience. Wild salmon on a cedar plank or teriyaki-glazed tuna are restaurant mainstays. Duplicating the fresh fish and shellfish of top restaurants is not impossible, but careful attention to your grill and to the product itself will determine how memorable, good or bad, is the meal your efforts produce.

Fish

A fish fillet with firm, dense flesh, high in natural fats, and a definitive flavor is made for the grill, and the fish tha t’ s at the top of that list is salmon . Wild caught or farm raised, steaks or fillets, skin on or off, no other fish has so many methods or styles of preparation. Here are some basics: Pacifi c — Wild caught Pacific salmon is found in an area that stretches from the Sacramento River to Alaska. Due to overfishing, wild salmon is now strictly regulated to let the species regenerate. Pacific salmon are categorized by size: King/Chinook —Not only tops in flavor but also in size. These fish can weigh up to 100 pounds, though they average around 20 pounds. The flesh ranges from deep red to white, depending on where they lived and what they ate. Copper River King salmon from Alaska has for years been the standa rd bearer of the highest quality. Salmon are known to be rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and doctors have recommended it for its cholesterol-lowering properties. It can be found fresh from early spring to late summer in good supply years, but will be withheld from the commercial market if the numbers of spawning salmon are low.

Silver/Coh o — Similar in texture and flavor to King, but smaller and with a shorter life span. They have a slightly longer range of habitat, from Monterey County in Califor nia to the Bering Sea near Russia. Higher in omega-3 fats than King, the bright red flesh of Silver salmon is unmistakable, even in the farm-raised variety, which averages about a pound.