That’s right, it’s Mojo (pronounced “mo-ho”) and it’s Spanish. Mojo is the name, or abbreviated name, of several types of sauce that originated in the Canary Islands. It is predominantly either a red (most common), green or orange and I chose to try the latter. Orange flavour is the star in this sauce and it made me feel as though I was eating seafood at some faraway tropical resort.
The fish I used today is a B-line Snapper. Nowadays any fish that’s red seems to be called a snapper but I liked this fish’s flavour and it has a large spinal structure which means easy filleting for those squeamish about eating a whole fish.
I chose this fish with great confidence after reading up on buying & storing fish at Helen’s Beyond Salmon site. I’m sure you too will buy your seafood with bravado after reading up at her School of Fish.
The Mojo sauce I made was inspired by a Bobby Flay recipe, which is here at the Food Network site. I’ve heard many say he’s an A-hole but I have little to complain of his cooking and New Yorkers can come off as gruff but they are some of the most hospitable people I’ve met!
Grilled B-line Snapper with Orange-Thyme Mojo
Orange-Thyme Mojo
1/4 cup olive oil
8 cloves of roasted garlic
zest of half an orange
juice of 1 orange
1 tsp honey
1 thai chile, seeds removed
1 tsp chopped dresh thyme
1/4 tsp sea salt
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Heat your grill to high.
1)Rinse & pat dry your fish. Drizzle & rub the fish (inside & out) with olive oil. Season with Vegeta and black pepper (inside & out). Finely chop some garlic & insert into the cavity.
2) Brush your grill well and mop or brush some vegetable on the grill. Place fish on the grill and cook for 4 minutes a side. To check for doneness, use your tongs to gently tug on the dorsal fin of the fish. If it “gives”, your fish is done.
4) Remove the fish from the grill. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon and sprinkle some dried Greek oregano. Serve Mojo sauce on the side.
Finally, it’s the 1st day of summer and for those in Canada and much of the northern hemisphere, summers are too short! Set the table in the backyard or your balcony or, go to a restaurant or patio bar and do the “al fresco” thing. We’re only 184 days away from winter!
