You’ve just gotten a new gas grill, and you’re impatient to invite your friends over for a BBQ party. You have to pick a date that works for everyone and choose your menu.
What will you place on your grill? Hot dogs? Burgers? Corn on the cob? How about seafood? If you want to impress your guests with something new instead of always cooking the same BBQ classics, grilling fish, shrimps, and scallops can be a wonderful idea.
Seafood will taste great if you simply grill it with oil, herbs and spices. If you need some inspiration, there are many recipe ideas that will complement your new grill from Napoleon.
Here are five grilled seafood ideas to help you get started:
1. Grilled coconut shrimps
Coconut shrimps are delicious when cooked on the BBQ. Prepare a mixture with soy sauce, grated lime zest, garlic, and oil, and toss large shrimps in the bowl. Add shredded coconut, and toss the shrimps again until they are well coated.
Next, place the shrimps directly on the grill or on skewers, and cook them until they are opaque. Once you remove them from the grill, you can sprinkle them with salt and with some more coconut.
2. Cedar plank salmon with a honey-mustard glaze
You can grill a nice salmon fillet on a cedar plank if you have a nice salmon fillet. Be sure to let the plank submerge in water for an hour before putting it on your grill.
Prepare the glaze with honey, mustard, rosemary, grated lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Spread it on the flesh side of your salmon fillet, then place it on the plank, skin side down.
Close the grill’s lid, and let the fish cook for 13 to 15 minutes. There is no need to turn the fillet.
3. Grilled scallops with lime flavoured mayo
Large scallops can be grilled after being threaded onto two skewers, making them easier to pick up and turn. Before placing them on the skewers, toss them in a bowl containing some oil, coriander, ginger, and salt.
Place the scallops on your oiled grill, and make sure the handles of the skewers are easy to grab. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side.
Serve the scallops with a lime flavoured mayo you made yourself by mixing mayonnaise, lime juice, and a pinch of salt.
4. Grilled clams with herb butter
Clams can also benefit from getting a smoky flavour while cooking on the grill, and they will be deliciously served with some herb butter.
Simply melt some butter in a small saucepan and some grated garlic, salt, and herbes de Provence to prepare your herb butter.
To cook the clams, place them directly on your grill, and close the lid. Cook them until they pop open, which should take about 6 minutes. You can then serve them with your herb butter and some hot bread.
5. Seafood tacos
For something truly original, you can prepare seafood tacos with your choice of shrimps, scallops, or chunks of fish.
Before grilling the seafood, put it in a plastic bag with some marinade for at least an hour. Prepare your go-to taco marinade or blend olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, marjoram, red pepper flakes, and salt in a food processor.
Wrap the tortillas in foil and put them to the side of the grill while the seafood cooks. Then, serve with your favourite taco toppings, and enjoy.
How to grill seafood
Seafood is delicious when cooked on the grill. But not all seafood should be grilled the same way, and there are different methods you can try.
- Directly on the grill: Fillets and steaks of salmon, tilapia and other types of fish that don’t flake easily, and jumbo shrimps, can be placed directly on the grill. This will give them a nice smoky flavour.
- On a plank: All varieties of fish can be cooked on a plank, but this method is especially useful for delicate fillets that can’t be placed directly on the grill. The soaked plank will give them a unique woodsy flavour.
- In a foil pouch: Delicate fillets and tiny scallops and shrimps can be cooked in a foil pouch, along with oil, herbs, and veggies. The foil will trap the heat and cook your seafood with steam.
- On skewers: Scallops, shrimps, calamari, and chunks of firm fish can be placed on skewers and cooked directly on the grill.
When grilling seafood, you can experiment with different marinades, sauces, and butter to add some more flavour to your meals.
You can also take your favourite seafood recipe and adapt it to prepare it all on your grill instead of in your kitchen. This will make for a memorable BBQ party for yourself and your guests.
