Lazy Fish

Lazy hazy days of summer.

Floatin' along the lazy river.

The lazy brown frog got squished by the big fast express train.

I may have gotten that last one wrong.

But it's August, the temps are finally rising and Crabby's brain is rapidly slowing. I always seem to go through this massive cranial slow-down in August. I stare at the TV and it's not even on. I stare at the tomatoes, watching to see if they are getting redder. I open the door and stare into the pantry, waiting to get sucked into the abyss along with the orzo, ramen and peanut butter.

It's tough to be creative this time of year. It's the "shoulder season" of cooking. You're bored of grilling and it's too hot to cook indoors. It's a good time to go on a diet; not because you want to lose weight, but because you just can't think of anything you really want to eat.

Well, never fear crablings, I'll give you a recipe anyway. Lazy Fish is my own concoction. It requires little, if any, mental work and it's still quite tasty. The toughest part of the meal is finding the right cut of fish. I've used walleye, whitefish, sole, salmon, haddock (pictured) and trout. You want a long, thin, flat fillet; my suggestion is to wait for a really hot day. Go to the fish monger and hug the refrigerated case. Just before they ask you to leave, pick out a nice piece of fish and enjoy...

Lazy Fish

by Crabby

1 1/2 pounds fish filets (you want a long, thin fillet)

2 - 3 TBSP butter

1 TBSP Old Bay Seasoning

1/2 lemon sliced

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat your grill over high heat.

Fold a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil in half to form a double thick cooking tray.

Slice thin pieces of the butter lengthwise and place on the foil tray. You will be using half the butter as a base for the fillets.

Place the fish atop the butter. Dust the fillets with the Old Bay Seasoning or a spice mix of your choice.

Put the other half of the butter on top of the fish. Again, slice the butter lengthwise from the stick. This gives you more coverage than normal "pats".

Place 2 or 3 lemon slices on each fillet.

Place on the hot grill, close the lid and grill for 8 minutes, assuming a fillet thickness of roughly 1 inch.

Remove the fish from the grill and transfer to serving plates. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve.

Pretty easy, eh? Look, it's not haute cuisine, but if you're using fresh fish it tastes great. Serve it with some fresh corn or tomatoes. Throw in a glass or three of white wine and you've got a great meal on your hands.

OK, until next time, no matter how slow your brain is working, remember, you can do it you can cook.