As you’ve probably figured out by now, I love to grill. In sunny California, there’s nothing better than throwing a meal on the grill and sipping a cold cocktail as the sun goes down. Sometimes I’m a grilling mood, but I want something light… especially on really hot summer nights. These Marinated Fish Skewers fit the bill.
This marinade includes many of my favorite spices, which are also some of the most common spices used in Middle Eastern Sephardic Jewish cooking. Combined with lemon juice in a marinade, they bring lots of aromatic flavor to the fish. Cooking them on a smoky grill adds even more deliciousness. To stretch the meat, you can alternate the fish with onion or pepper slices on the skewer. Choose a firm white fish that won’t flake or fall apart too easily on the grill. Try not to marinate the fish for longer than two hours, or the citrus in the lemon juice will start to break down the meat, which will make it more delicate on the grill.
These skewers are a great option for a Labor Day barbecue. In fact, I might just grill some up this weekend! Serve them with tzatziki, tahini sauce or toum for even more flavor; they also go great with my Grilled Lemon Butter Zucchini. Enjoy!
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Marinated Fish Skewers
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds firm white fish (seabass, halibut, snapper)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons fresh minced cilantro (you may sub fresh parsley)
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Sliced lemon wedges
- Chopped cilantro for garnish (if desired)
Instructions
- Cut the fish into 1 ½ inch chunks for skewering.In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, crushed garlic, paprika, salt, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper.
- Place fish chunks in a glass dish. Pour marinade over the fish chunks and stir to coat.Cover with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator and let the fish marinate for 30 minutes. If using wood skewers, soak them in water while the fish is marinating. This will keep them from burning on the grill.
- Preheat your grill. Skewer the fish chunks, evenly divided between four wooden skewers.
- Generously grease the grill. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for about 10 minutes total, turning once during cooking, till the edges are browned and the fish is cooked through. A bit of the fish might stick to the grill-- the less you turn them, the less this will happen.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired. Serve with sliced lemon wedges. These go great with Tzatziki and my Grilled Lemon Butter Zucchini.
So delicious, love this recipe!! I just use this as a basic fish marinade recipe (not for fish skewers) and often end up omitting the cilantro when I don’t have it on hand, but they still turn out super tasty! Super easy, flavourful, fresh and vibrant, highly recommend!