Basque Grilled Fish
This recipe for grilled halibut was inspired by a meal Top Chef judge and F&W Special Projects Editor Gail Simmons ate on the Bay of Biscay in Spain. “I had lunch at a fabled fish restaurant called Elkano, just a 30-minute drive from San Sebastián, in the tiny hamlet of Getaria,” she says. The dish, freshly caught turbot, seasoned with salt and olive oil and grilled to perfection on the restaurant’s outdoor grills, inspired this version. The simple preparation lets the flavor of fish shine—if it’s really fresh, it won’t need so much as a slice of lemon to enhance it. Use a grilling basket to prevent flaky fish from falling apart during cooking. Serve it with Txakoli, a lightly effervescent wine with bright minerality. (Top brands to look for in the U.S. include Ameztoi, Luzia de Ripa, Itsasmendi, and Txomin Etxaniz)