I have plenty of great recipes that would be great for the 4th of July. Grilled meats (chicken, burgers), sliders, slaws, sides, dips and desserts can all be found here. However, one thing that I don’t do a lot is grill seafood.
That is why I was intrigued to learn some tips and recipes from Michelin-starred Chef Laurent Manrique on behalf of Courvoisier Rose. (The tip about opening clams is enough of a reason to read the whole article. I never knew that.) Enjoy!
Grilling Skills Tips from Chef Laurent Manrique
– Use thick fish steak (tuna, salmon and mahi mahi work best). Whole fish like snapper, trout, and striped bass are also great to grill.
– Tender filets do not work well on the grill, unless you use a metal basket, or wrap the filets in foil.
– Make sure your grill is very hot and avoid using too much oil if you are marinating fish.
– For fish steak, allow 6 minutes of cooking per inch off thickness.
– Make sure the skin is very crispy before turning the fish to grill the other side.
– Sauce vierge (made with olive oil, lemon juice, chopped tomato and chopped basil) is a perfect sauce for grilled fish. Or you can simply use a mixture of lemon, oregano, capers, and olive oil.
– For a sauce with a kick, try a mixture of sesame oil, chili garlic paste, diced mango, cilantro and mint.
Grilled Seafood & Cocktail Recipes from Chef Laurent Manrique
Summer is all about hitting the waves, so why should your grill be land-locked with burgers and steaks? Grilled barbecue clams are an unexpected yet delicious option for any backyard event.
Grilled Barbecue Clams
What you’ll need:
24 littleneck clams
¼ cup bottled BBQ sauce
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 Tbsp shallots, finely chopped
½ cup red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to make it:
1. Preheat your grill to direct, high heat or heat coals until white and hot.
2. While the grill is heating, in a medium-sized bowl, mix together the shallots, red wine vinegar, butter, BBQ, pepper and salt. Set aside.
3. Shuck clams* open on the half-shell, being careful to keep as much liquid as possible.
4. Add a dollop of the reserved sauce to each clam.
5. Place the clams on the grill until the BBQ sauce mixture begins to bubble, a maximum of about 2 minutes. Remove from grill and serve with grilled slices of sourdough bread. Serves 4 as an appetizer.
* Chef Laurent Manrique’s tip: An easy way to open clams is to pop them in the microwave, three at a time, for about 11 seconds. The heat shocks the clams and they’ll open slightly making them easiest to shuck with a knife.
Instead of the standard beer or frozen drink, try a simple, festive cocktail, such as the Rosé Sparkler from Courvoisier Rosé.
The Rosé Sparkler
Ingredients:
1 part Courvoisier® Rosé
1 part Thatcher’s™ Organic Blueberry Liqueur
3 parts Champagne
Directions:
Shake first two ingredients and strain into chilled Champagne flute. Top with Champagne. Garnish with blueberries and a cherry dropped in.
Whatever you end up eating and drinking for the 4th of July, I hope that you enjoy it with your loved ones!
{Images courtesy of Courvoisier Rosé and Dana Moos; Post updated, Originally posted 6/27/2012}