Grilled fish is the quintessential summer meal - and fresh fish requires little more than lemon juice, salt and pepper to transform it into a delicacy on the barbecue. Grilling fish is fast and simple, making it ideal for summer entertaining or after work meals on the fly. Fish can also be grilled on a cedar plank, which imparts it with a rich, earthy flavour. Some good fish types to try on the grill: salmon, tuna, haddock, tilapia, catfish, monkfish, mahi-mahi, trout, sea and lake bass, snapper, cod and grouper. More delicate, and generally skinless, fish fillets, such as flounder, sole and tilapia, are also tasty grilled but benefit from being wrapped in foil packets with vegetables and a little water, oil or melted butter. Fish can also be grilled using a well greased wire basket.

Choosing

As a general rule, fresh fish is always tastier than frozen. And the fish you can get from a reputable fish monger will almost always be fresher and more flavourful than what you'll find at the grocery store. When visiting a fish market, don't be afraid to ask questions. Also feel free to ask to look more closely at the fish you're considering purchasing. And take a good whiff. Fish should smell of the lake or sea, but it should never smell rank or overly "˜fishy'. If buying a whole fish, take a good look at the eyes, too. Cloudy, discoloured or shriveled eyes are good indicators that the fish isn't as fresh as it could be. The skin of the fish should be moist, with shiny, well-adhered scales. Touch it, too. Fresh fish will give slightly, but spring back right away under your finger. Most types of fish take well to the grill, but whole fish, firm-fleshed fish fillets with skin or fish steaks are easiest to handle over a flame.

Storing, Handling and Preparing

Keep fresh fish cool and tightly wrapped. Get it to a refrigerator as fast as you can after purchasing and do not keep fresh fish longer than a day or two before grilling it. Freeze fresh fish in an airtight plastic bag or container. The higher the oil content of fish, the longer it will keep frozen - but, as a general rule, try to use frozen fish within a month or two. Thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator or under cold running water, but never on the counter. Microwave thawing is not recommended for fish, either, because it can dry it out or begin cooking it too quickly.

Fish doesn't take long to cook on the grill. Allow about eight to ten minutes over medium heat per side for each inch of thickness. If cooking in foil, add five minutes to each side. Cooked fish will flake easily with a fork and should be just opaque, but not overcooked. Certain fish, such as salmon and tuna, benefit from being left translucent, or slightly rare, in the middle - but this should only be done with high quality, sushi grade fish.

Fish quickly absorbs rubs and marinades, so these should only be applied immediately before cooking to avoid the external flavours overpowering the natural flavour of the fish. Avoid using citrus to marinate the fish, as the citrus will start the cooking process and make the fish tough and chewy. Always brush fish with vegetable oil - but not olive oil, which burns easily - before grilling. Lightly oil the grill, too, and make sure it's very clean.

Note: the recipe for the dish pictured above is here