Grilled Redfish on the Half Shell

Ingredients

2 pounds of redfish with skin on
Harissa paste (store bought or recipe below)
1 cup of plain kefir or greek yogurt
1-2 tbsp. oil

Harissa Paste
4 oz. of mixed dried chiles (2 oz each of guajillo and chile de arbol)
6 cloves of garlic, smashed
½ tsp. ground caraway seeds
½ tsp. ground coriander seeds
½ tsp. ground cumin seeds
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. fine grain salt
3 tbsp. olive oil

Also works with: Any mild, flaky fish with skin on
Special equipment: Food processor or blender

Directions

Harissa Paste
1. Toast the chile pods and spices in a dry sauté pan over medium-high heat for 30 seconds on each side. Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles by cracking them open. Place the dried chiles in a large bowl and cover with boiling hot water. Cover the bowl and let the chilis soak for about 30 minutes to an hour to soften. Drain the water from the chilis and place into a food processor or blender.
2. Add the garlic, caraway, coriander, cumin, vinegar, salt and olive oil. Blend until you reach a smooth consistency.
3. This can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container for up to a week. You can also freeze what you don’t use.

Grilled Redfish
1. Preheat a grill at medium-high heat. If building a small fire, burn your wood down until it is nearly all coals. Use a grate set a foot or so above so it doesn’t scorch the bottom of fish.
2. Rub a little oil over both sides of the fish, then brush the flesh side with a tablespoon of harissa paste per fillet. Reserve the rest of the paste for other applications.
3. Place the fillets directly on the grates, skin side down. Close the grill lid or cover with foil if using a fire. Cook for about 12-15 minutes or longer, depending on the thickness of your fish and the temperature of your heat source. If the skin blackens while the meat is still raw, then you’re cooking too hot. Turn the heat down or raise the fish higher off the coals. The skin will be dark and crispy, and the meat should flake apart easily with a fork when done.
4. Add a dollop of harissa paste to a small bowl of kefir/yogurt and swirl to combine. Serve the grilled redfish with the harissa-yogurt dip.