Hotter'n Georgia Asphalt

Y'ALL.

How easy is this?  And delicious.  And not making me tear my hear out in this 106-degree heat (I'm not kidding).

Surely you're wondering what we had for dinner last night, because everyone knows that's what blogs and Facebook are all about.  Maybe Pinterest, too, I have no idea.

Sandwiches.  No cooking in this house when it was 108 degrees.  ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT.  Carrot sticks as a side dish?  You bet.

We like cooking nice dinners on the weekend.  Not sure if I mentioned this but it's crazy !#@ING hot right now.  Saturday is often fish night since I can get to the farmer's market where the fish are swimming and I don't have to catch them.

So the key here - since we're melting - was to do as little as possible with heat, and none of it in the house.  Ergo marinade + fish + fridge + outdoor grill.

I'm ever so relieved to say it's delicious.  It's moist and flavorful and I'm not going near that !@#$ing grill again until it gets below 100 but I'm glad I made the effort this evening.  Which is really saying something.

My side dish was zucchini, which I cut into spears, misted with cooking spray, and sprinkled with salt & pepper before putting it on the grill (on the lower-temp side).  If you have the energy, it's delicious with some grated Parmesan added after you remove it from the grill.

Marinated Fish Steaks
Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook

1 pound fresh or frozen salmon, swordfish, or halibut steaks, 1 inch thick (I used thick grouper filets)
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel or lime peel (shred the rind from one lime or lemon, don't deal with measuring unless the voices in your head demand it be so)
1/4 cup lemon juice or lime juice (I juiced the lime I zested, then made up the difference with bottled lemon juice)
1 TBSP cooking oil
1 TBSP water
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce (NOTE - check the label to see if it's gluten-free, if that's an issue for you)
1/2 tsp dried rosemary or thyme, crushed
1 clove garlic, minced

1.  Thaw fish, if frozen.  Rinse fish steaks, pat dry with paper towels.  Cut into 4 serving-size pieces, if necessary.

2.  For marinade, in a shallow dish combine lemon or lime peel, lemon or lime juice, oil, water, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary or thyme, and garlic.

3.  Add fish; turn to coat with marinade.  Cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes (or in the fridge for 2 hours), turning the steaks occcasionally and enjoying the delightfully brisk air when opening the refrigerator door.

4.  Drain fish, reserving marinade.  Place fish on the greased unheated rack of a broiler pan.  Broil 4 inches from the heat for 5 minutes.  Using a wide spatula, carefully turn fish over.  Brush with marinade.  Broil for 3 to 7 minutes more or till fish flakes easily with a fork.  Discard any remaining marinade.

OR

4.  Drain fish, reserving marinade (I simply lift it out of the dish with a slotted spatula and let the marinade drip back into the dish).  Oil grates of grill and preheat to medium heat.  Grill for 5-ish minutes.  Carefully flip fish, brush with remaining marinade.  Cook until done, which is very helpful as directions go.  If you're not an experienced griller of fish, hang near the grill and check frequently.

In Progress, and Lookin' Good

A lot of people say they want to like tofu, and they can't pull it off.  I get it.  I'm the same way about sushi (it's the seaweed).  And the ways some super-enthusiasts think they can disguise soft tofu (in cheesecake?  Seriously???) can be jaw-dropping.

So for extra-firm tofu lovers, here you go.  Eating Well's Soy-Lime Roasted Tofu, with brown rice, toasted unsalted peanuts, and veggies (broccoli, red pepper, sauteed mushrooms) is my lunch this week and I'm quite enjoying it.

That said, I'd enjoy it much more with some kind of sauce.  I'm absolutely open to suggestions.  I'm.   trying to limit processed foods, so I don't want to buy one.

Soy-Lime Roasted Tofu
Eating Well, March/April 2009

1 14-ounce package extra-firm, water-packed tofu, drained
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (or tamari, if you need gluten-free)
1/3 cup lime juice
3 TBSP toasted sesame oil (you don't toast it, you buy it pre-toasted)

1.  Pat tofu dry and cut ito 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch cubes.  [Note:  I placed a double-thickness of paper towels under and above the tofu, and weighed it down with the Pyrex casserole dish I used for the marinade.  This extracted more water and gave it a better texture.]

2.  Combine the soy sauce, lime juice, and oil in a medium shallow dish or large sealable plastic bag.  Add the tofu; GENTLY toss to combine.  Better yet, just spoon the marinade over.

Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour or up to 4 hours, gently stirring once or twice.

3.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

4.  Remove the tofu from the marinade with a slotted spoon, and discard the marinade.  Spread out on a large baking sheet, making sure the pieces are not touching.  Roast, gently turning halfway through, until golden brown, about 20 minutes.