Smoke and Brine

You have to be confident to grill seafood. It cooks in so little time that it can change from beautifully done to overcooked in the minute it takes to step away from the grill to replenish your glass. Freshly caught fish should be hovered over. When it's done right, the results prove the worth of your full attention. What you get - that characteristic brininess mixed with smoke - is one of the season's best offerings.

If you're lucky enough to know a fisherman who brings you freshly caught blues or stripers, you know there's nothing quite as delicate as fish that goes straight from ocean to kitchen. Seafood that has made a stop at the market might benefit from a touch of marinade to give it a hint of lemon or ginger. Then light the grill and lay on your bounty. Thread skewers with pieces of squid or soy-marinated shrimp. Grill bluefish on its skin side with a faint coating of mustard, or cook striped bass without enhancement, then bathe it in caper butter. Even if you begin timidly, you'll get brave quickly. All you have to do is bite into a flaky, moist, mildly smoky piece to get hooked.

GRILLED SQUID SALAD
SERVES 4
4 10-inch wooden skewers
1 pound young squid
Olive oil (for brushing)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

Soak the skewers in water for 1 hour. Using kitchen shears, cut open the squids so each can be flattened into a triangle shape. Halve each one lengthwise into 2 smaller triangles. Weave the skewers through the flesh and the tentacles, so the pieces of squid will lie flat during grilling. Brush both sides of the squid with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Brush the rack with oil. When the coals are gray or the gas grill is hot, set the squid on the grill and cook for 1 minute. Turn the squid and cook for 30 seconds more. The squid will change from opaque to white very quickly. As soon as it turns white, it is done. If the flesh overcooks, it toughens.

Transfer the squid to a platter.

In a bowl, toss the onion, cucumber, salt, pepper, and parsley. Remove the squid from the skewers and add it to the bowl. Toss gently.

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of oil together. Sprinkle the salad with the dressing, toss gently again, and serve at once.

GRILLED SWORDFISH WITH CHERRY TOMATOES
SERVES 4

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped black olives
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, finely choppedq Grated rind of 1 lemon
2 pounds thickly cut swordfish, cut into
4 even-sized pieces
Olive oil (for brushing)

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, scallions, parsley, olives, 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir gently. Cover the salad loosely and set it aside.

In a bowl, mix together the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of vinegar, along with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic and lemon rind. Place the fish on a deep platter and pour the lemon marinade over it. Turn the fish to coat it all over. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Brush the rack with oil. Remove the fish from the marinade. When the coals are gray or the gas grill is hot, grill the fish for about 3 minutes on a side. Don't move the fish until it has cooked for at least 1 minute on each side. The fish is done when it is firm and opaque inside; it's OK to cut into it.

Transfer the fish to a platter and spoon the tomato salad on top and around it. Serve at once.

GRILLED SHRIMP IN GINGER-SOY MARINADE
SERVES 4

8 10-inch wooden skewers
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil (for brushing)

Soak the skewers in water for 1 hour.

Place the shrimp in a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl, combine the soy sauce, oil, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour the ginger marinade over the shrimp. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for as long as overnight.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Brush the rack with oil. Remove the shrimp from the marinade. Thread 5 shrimp on each skewer, securing the shrimp twice through the body, so they won't slip off.

When the coals are gray or the gas grill is hot, grill the shrimp for about 1 minute on a side or until they turn pink and are cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the grill. Place on a platter and serve at once.

GRILLED BLUEFISH WITH MUSTARD GLAZE
SERVES 4

One of the treats to be derived from leftover grilled bluefish is bluefish pate, which is lightly smoky. Use a food processor to blend equal amounts of bluefish and soft cream cheese. Add a little horseradish, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Whir until the mixture is smooth. Serve with crackers as a party snack.

Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds boneless bluefish (skin intact), cut into 4 even-sized pieces
Olive oil (for brushing)
1 lemon, cut into wedges (for serving)

In a bowl, whisk the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and oil.

Place the fish on a deep platter and pour the lemon marinade over it. Turn the fish to coat it all over. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Brush the rack with oil. When the coals are gray or the gas grill is hot, set the fish on the grill skin side down. Cover with the lid and cook the fish for 8 to 10 minutes or until it flakes easily when you test the thickest part with the tip of a knife. It is not necessary to turn the fish.

Transfer to a platter, garnish with lemon, and serve at once.

GRILLED STRIPED BASS WITH BROWN BUTTER
SERVES 4

Olive oil (for brushing)
2-pound piece boneless striped bass (skin intact)
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons capers
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Brush the rack with oil.

Brush both sides of the fish with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. When the coals are gray or the gas grill is hot, set the fish on the grill skin side down. Cover with the lid and cook the fish for 8 to 10 minutes or until it flakes easily when you test the thickest part with the tip of a knife. It is not necessary to turn the fish.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat, swirling the pan, until it begins to turn pale brown and you can smell a toasted aroma. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the capers and lemon rind, swirling the pan to mix.

Pour the butter sauce over the fish, then sprinkle with parsley and more pepper. Cut the fish into 4 even-sized pieces and serve at once.

Ask the Cooks: Batter Up

What is the secret to keeping fruits or nuts from settling to the bottom of a cake during baking?
Palma Neis /// Dedham

The thickness of the batter determines whether fruits, nuts, or other additions will sink. A batter's viscosity is dependent on the style of cake. Angel food and spongecakes are made with light, airy batters known as egg foams. They do not support heavy additions well, and it is recommended that fruits or nuts be chopped fine, then folded in at the last moment before baking.

Creamed batter, used in the classic poundcake, is an ideal medium in which to suspend all manner of nuts and fruits. Very high in sugar and butter, the poundcake batter (at one time composed of 1 pound each of butter, sugar, flour, and eggs) has a thick, nearly cookie-dough consistency. This is also true of sour-cream batters, which are used to make coffeecakes. That's why you can layer the mixture with a cinnamon-scented streusel, which swirls itself through the cake.

But if your cake is not of the thicker variety, try these tricks: Once you have finely chopped the items to be added, toss them in flour. This will help to suspend them, even if the batter is not very stiff. It will also prevent dried fruit from absorbing excess liquid. If a recipe instructs you to tap the unbaked cake pan on a flat surface (this removes air bubbles), skip that step. It will make your embellishments settle.

This week's answer is by Peter J. Kelly, chef-instructor at Johnson & Wales University.