Daddy and Bianca had given us a whole sheepshead which had been taking up space in our freezer. Its eyeballs stared at me when I opened the door. Its tail hung out of its freezer bag. I was intimidated by it, but Internet research convinced me not to be afraid of cooking an entire fish. I decided to get Pancho involved in the entire process by grilling it.
I am usually responsible for planning and cooking the food we eat unless it involves the grill, in which case Pancho will don his apron and gather his cooking utensils, adjusting the heat and nurturing the food until it is perfection. Kitchen relief is just one of the many reasons I love grilled food.
Pancho seasoned the sheepshead inside and out with olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper.
He grilled it about 7 minutes on each side, occasionally squeezing fresh lemon juice over it. A sheepshead is a saltwater fish with teeth like a sheep, made for gnawing and eating its favorite foods: barnacles and shellfish. Because of its bony skeleton, it's difficult to filet. It has mildly flavored white meat. The perfect fish for grilling whole.
He grilled a few tomatoes and a jalapeño until the skins were charred.
After removing the skins, I roughly chopped it all, adding olive oil, a few capers, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, salt, and pepper, for a delicious warm tomato relish.
Asparagus and portobello mushroom caps rounded out the meal.
It plated up beautifully. The evening was perfect for eating outside. Thank you, Pancho dear!
