Many people don’t like grilling fish as it’s very easy to over- or undercook it, have it stick to the grill, or cook unevenly. Most of these issues are easily handled, and with some preparation, you’ll love the extra flavor fish gets from the grill.
Always ensure your grill is very clean before you grill fish. Oil the grates right before cooking using tongs and paper towels soaked in peanut oil. The grill surface needs to be around 350°F or higher to properly cook the fish and keep it from drying out. I prefer to cook this recipe at 400°F. You can also use this recipe to cook salmon in a skillet.
Pisco is a clear brandy that is claimed by both Peru and Chile. This recipe goes swimmingly well (see what I did there?) with a pisco sour.
Maque choux (pronounced mock shoe) is a corn-based dish predominantly served as a side. At its simplest, it is a blend of fresh corn, onions, bell pepper, milk or cream, and spices. Depending on the recipe, it may contain tomatoes. (This one doesn’t.) It’s easy to make and cooks in about 30 minutes.
Serves 4
Maque Choux
- 1 tablespoon bacon grease
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3/4 large yellow onion, diced
- 3/4 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
- 4 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off and cob scraped with a knife to release any “milk”
- 1 teaspoon Delta Creole Seasoning (or Cajun seasoning)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Pisco Lime Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 small yellow onion, diced
- 1/4 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup pisco or other brandy
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon Smoke-Roasted Garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- Finely grated zest of 1/2 lime
Grilled Red Snapper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 4 (5- to 6-ounce) skin-on red snapper fillets (thin fillets if possible)
- 1 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Peanut oil, for the grill grates
To make the maque choux, heat the bacon grease and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Add the corn, seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the corn is hot and beginning to char. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the cream. Stirring constantly, simmer until the cream has thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Keep warm over very low heat until ready to serve.
To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the pisco and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then let simmer and reduce until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cilantro and lime zest.
To make the snapper, preheat a grill to 400°F. In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, granulated garlic, granulated onion, pepper, thyme, oregano, salt, and cayenne pepper, if using. (Double the amount of cayenne pepper if you like it spicier.)
Let the snapper fillets come to room temperature for 15 minutes. Dry the fillets, then brush both sides with the olive oil. Season the fleshy side of the fillets with the seasoning blend and let sit for 5 minutes.
Brush the grill grates with peanut oil, then place the fillets skin side down on the grill. Close the lid and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Open the lid and very carefully flip the fillets. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 145°F in the center of the fillet.
Remove the fillets from the grill, drizzle with the sauce, and serve with maque choux.
Recipes excerpted from “Fanning the Flames: Recipes and Tall Tales From BBQ Hall of Famer Melissa Cookston” copyright 2026 by Melissa Cookston. Photography copyright 2026 by Ken Goodman. Reproduced by permission of Andrews McMeel Publishing. All rights reserved.
