Gettin’ Fishy On The Grill: Salt Block Cod with Lemon, Butter, and Caper Sauce

The impending storms were part of an ongoing forecast that promised rain nearly everyday this week. Nary a drop had come during this stretch, so without hesitation I prepped a meal for the grill. I had been craving something a little out of the ordinary, and decided on a couple of cod filets, salt block grilled, with a lemon, butter and caper sauce. So with ingredients at hand, it was time to get after it. But dang if those weather people didn’t make good on their promise of rain on this day, of all days. On cue, the drops started to fall, but luckily, it wasn’t hard enough to deter this pit jockey, especially not one that had a quick grilled meal planned.

So off I was, trusty old  Weber rolled up under the patio umbrella. Better the griller get wet than the grill, by my way of thinkin’.

The cod filets were peppered, nothing more, and set on a sizzling’ salt block that had been oiled and preheated directly over the lit coals.

This would be a quick one, seeing how the filets weren’t that thick to begin with. I had a cast iron pan, directly over the hot coals, ready to accept a couple of slices of butter along with some fresh minced garlic and chopped shallots.

While that got all fragrant-like,  I added in the Meyer lemon juice and zest out of a single lemon, along with a generous spoonful of capers. That sauce started to thicken over the high heat, coincidentally around the same time the fish was done, which turns out to be really fortunate timing.

As soon as the fish was plated, the sauce was spooned over the filets and left to follow gravity, flowing down the fish like molten lava creeping down the side of a mountain, if the mountain was white and flaky, and the lava was a buttery. lemon tinted yellow, with shallots and capers mixed into it. Otherwise, just like that, hehe.

Once the fish was all happy in that sauce, the grill roasted corn complemented the meal in taste and texture, and helped to complete a tasty, quick meal from the grill.

But, I probably don’t have to tell you that it quit raining immediately after I was finished.

Life Is Better Wood fired