Basil & Lime Grilled Summer Salmon

This is a great way to prepare salmon in hot weather when basil is in season.

Serves 3

Ingredients:
3 salmon steaks, about an inch thick

2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
1 T lime juice
1 T olive oil
1/4 - 1/2/ t red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare hot charcoal grill. Low flames or just after flames.

Finely chop basil and set aside. Combine lime juice, olive oil, and red pepper flakes, s & p. Let stand for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly oil and salt and pepper steaks. Place on grill for 4 minutes each side. Cover grill for second side. While second side is cooking, combine chopped basil with vinaigrette. Remove steaks, plate, and top with basil-lime sauce.

Savory Stuffed Shad

Shad's not in season now, but I cam across this recipe from a while back. It includes strong flavors in the sauce as well as the stuffing, but the robust flavor of shad stands up well with them.

serves 2

Ingredients:
2 shad fillets
2 small portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 scallions, cut into strips lengthwise
sauce:
2 T olive oil
1 T banana chutney
1/4 t curry powder
1 t rice vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450.

Combine the sauce ingredients. Lightly oil a baking pan and lay out the fillets. For each fillet: open the cavity and brush generously with sauce, line with mushrooms and top with scallion strips. Close fish and brush outside lightly with sauce.

Bake in oven for 5 min., then move to broiler for 3 minutes or just browned.