Spring grilling: Halibut with tuscan spinach salad

Grilling: The biggest trick to grilling halibut right is to make sure you oil your cooking grate before you start. Once fish starts to stick its over and its epic failure. This is particularly true of fillets. Steaks, cut across the grain of the meat, holds together better and makes grilling a much more pleasant task.

If you choose fillets, be very gentle and keep the surface oiled to avoid sticking to your grill. I am not a big fan of the grilling basket or fish basket. If not oiled properly you end up with the same dram and more items to clean.

Marinating: always rinse and pat dry prior to marinating

Juice 1 lemon into a medium glass bowl Make sure you roll the lemon to soften it up a bit with your hand. Almost like needing it.
3 Tablespoons of EVOO extra virgin olive oil
Strip and mince two stems of fresh Rosemary
1 small minced clove of Garlic
2 pinches of dry oregano
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
 1 teaspoon of fresh Cracked pepper
1 Tablespoon of Sumac reserve for plating
whisk all ingredients together for one minute

Grill two lemon halves 

Careful add the halibut steaks and gently massage the marinade onto the fish. Be sure to be very careful to not damage the halibut. Cover with plastic wrap put in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat your grill to 400 degrees and be sure to oil your grates with oil. use and old wash cloth. ALSO MAKE SURE YOU USE LONG TONGS WITH THE OILED WASH CLOTH OR TOWEL. IT WILL CATCH ON FIRE QUICKLY IF GRILL IS TO HOT. I RECOMMEND TURNING THE GRILL DOWN PRIOR TO WIPING WITH OIL. 

You grill the fish for 6 minutes a side be sure to use a thin stainless spatula to peel the fish of the grill. A pair of bbq tongs will help as well. 

Tuscan Spinach Salad

1 Bag of Baby Spinach
2 Portobello Mushrooms
2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts
3 tablespoons of reduced Balsamic vinegar or Roland Balsamic Glaze.
3 Tablespoons of  EVOO "extra virgin olive oil.
Pecorino Romano Cheese wedge reserve for Garnish
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
salt to taste just a pinch or two

Clean the umbrellas off the mushrooms. This will allow the mushroom to absorb the flavors of the simple dressing and also helps remove dirt that is attached to the mushrooms.

Lay the mushroom flat on a clean cutting board and slice it sideways to make paper thin layers. Be very careful not to cut yourself.

Lay spinach on a long rectangle platter. Keep it fluffy; do not smash it down. Drizzle EVOO and Balsamic all over the spinach. Take Pecorino Romano and with a potato peeler shave about 12 long shavings of cheese onto the salad.

Sprinkle salt, pepper and toasted pine nuts to the salad.  

Remove halibut from the grilled and serve.

You can also place the halibut steaks on top of this salad.