for steaks and fillets of most fish.

1. Prepare the charcoal barbecue or gas grill for Direct Heat . Clean the grate and coat it with vegetable oil.

2. Lightly coat fish that have not been marinated with vegetable oil on both sides before seasoning.

3. Let the fish warm up just briefly to room temperature indoors just before grilling. This allows the heat of the grill to penetrate evenly and get to the center of the fillet more quickly without overcooking it on the outside.

4. Make sure the grill is thoroughly preheated . Briquettes or charcoals should be ash white. Hold your hand about 3 inches above the grill surface; if you can only hold it there a couple of seconds, the grill is hot enough.

5. Turn the fish over only onc e— too much handling increases the chance that the fish will stick to the grill or fall apart. The first side that should be grilled is called the bone side, the fleshy part of the fillet where ribs and pin bones have been removed. The other side is referred to as the skin side, and should be grilled second. Try to plate the fish with the bone side up for the best presentation. The skin side often reveals the darkened blood line that some people find unappetizing.

Shellfish

This category covers the crustaceans and mollusks we know and love as shrimp, lo bster, and scallops. Do n’ t forget crab, crayfish, and clams. Grilling shellfish is so much easier than fresh fish, and is a staple of backyard barbecues all summer long. Modern shrimp farms supply the world with clean, wholesome product frozen within minutes of harvesting. Lobsters are held live in tanks for immediate cooking. Scallops are cleaned and shipped out in refrigerated containers still smelling like the ocean. I t’ s hard not to think of shellfish as a coo k’ s best friend, and just a few simple steps take the worry out of grilling them perfectly.

Shrim p — The terms shrimp and prawns are sometimes used interchangeably. Prawns will generally refer to the larger sizes. Technically, prawns are crustaceans, farm raised primarily in the waters of Malaysia and Indonesia. Most of the shrimp available in the U.S. market is from the Gulf of Mexico and the waters of Baja California. For cooking purposes, use either one.

Most recipes require shrimp to be deveined . The vein is the digestive track of the shrimp running from head to tail. Because so much of toda y’ s catch is