Let's Sea Food On the Barbie! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Higher heat

For a wonderfully browned crust and juicy, sweet shrimp, barbecue shrimp fast, and on very high heat. Shrimp overcook to rubbery quickly so put them on a double skewer (lone shrimp tend to fall through the grill), spoon them lightly against one another, and stand them in the fridge for an hour or so before grilling (drier exterior means more browning). Meanwhile stoke up a very hot barbie to get the "Maillard reaction", also called the "browning reaction". "Cooks Illustrated" suggests we douse shrimp in a salt and baking soda mixture before cooking to increase browning. Ready, set, grill them fast (2-4 minutes). Shrimp don't need a lot of fancy treatment. Just brush with olive oil, spicy lime juice, peanut vinaigrette, or eat them naked! Leave shells on to impart flavor and buffer the heat, as some people relish eating those shells, and the heads too! If you remove the shells before serving, save them to make bisque. If you prefer a slow, low heat approach for succulent insides but skip the deep browning, go for it.

Answer: Leaf wraps

In Malaysia this cook has covered fish in chili paste and then wrapped them in banana leaves before placing on a hot grill. Many people use a fish or grill "basket" which is a flat metal cage that lays on the grill but keeps foods up off the surface so they don't stick. Using a basket makes fish easy to turn, and keeps fragile fish from flaking. You could just use tin foil to cover any thinner areas of a fish that might burn before the rest is done.

The advantage of banana leaves is while they prevent fish from sticking to the grill, they also give the food a smokey, sweet flavor, and they are biodegradable! Seafood cooks fast, so fish may go only minutes on each side.

Answer: Fruits

When it comes to seafood, especially fish, there's more companion options than you can shake a fish at. Fruits are one scrumptious addition often overlooked. This photo shows a grilled steak garnished with strawberries, which are mouth-popping treats on fish, too. Pineapple is fantastic grilled and added to seafood, as are mango, tomatoes, lime, papaya, plantain and peaches...or make a simple fruit salsa and prepare for some yum-licious and satisfying fishy-sweet flavor.

Answer: Oysters

Oysters are delicious on the grill, though the small ones can fall through the grates, and occasionally a closed oyster explodes. You may want to keep that grill lid down for the five plus minutes they take to cook. When they are done the top shell should be slightly open (they don't open up wide like clams). Remove the top shell, run a sharp knife along the shell bottom to cut the oyster free, then put them back on the grill and quickly add pesto, pico de gallo or another favorite sauce, for a great taste. Word is oysters are loaded with zinc, which raises testosterone levels in both genders. Saluti!

Answer: Corn

Grilled corn is often called the "champion" of grilled vegetables, it is so beloved, and that may be the reason we sea it present at many outdoor events. It's without a doubt a great companion to seafood. Still there are many contenders. Portobello or shiitake mushrooms are unforgettably tasty, while hasselback potatoes are crazy tender inside but crunchy outside.

The Middle East has mastered many delightful versions of grilled eggplant worthy of a table, and there's also asparagus, onion, zucchini, bell peppers and the beautiful tomatoes, carrots or broccoli. Just to name the most common choices.

Some vegetables tend to roll or fall through a grate, so make preparations for that.

Answer: Kebab

In this photo you see shish kebab on the grill. You can skewer scallops or fish, alternate with mushrooms or pineapple, wrap them in bacon, douse them with juices, herbs, or oils, or simply salt and sear. Voila! Skewers are made of bamboo, and these make good kebobs, but you can buy hardy and flat steel skewers which work well.

The term shish kebob comes from the Turkish term for sword or skewered, and cubes of meat, typically lamb or goat. Asia has "satay" dipped in peanut sauce, Japan skewers fowl and calls it "yakitori", France has "brochettes", and the Portuguese have beef marinated in wine, called "espetadas". Virtually every civilization has created a skewered food roasted on a fire, and you can replace meats with fish for a refreshing alternative. Try it first with large shrimp or swordfish, a meaty fish that won't fall apart.

Answer: Plank salmon

Salmon is an all-around beautiful seafood to cook on a grill, as you likely well know. In this photo salmon is "plank" grilled. When you grill salmon on a plank of wood, it takes up a flavor from the plank, doesn't stick to a grill, and is attractive to serve as well.

A cedar plank is common, while some say Alder or apple planks lend better flavor. Either way you get a smoky, woody taste. Add cilantro, salsa, peppercorn, maple syrup--salmon can be flavored innumerable ways. Indigenous natives of the American northwest where salmon runs wild have long held salmon bakes, using soaked planks and grilling right on the plank, similar to this photo. Or simply use your shiny "George Foreman" grill, and and place the hot salmon on a plank for serving.

Answer: Swordfish

Although the Lego swordfish in the photo rides a bicycle, real swordfish perform a different sort of feat: they are fantastic for your health. Unless you are pregnant or otherwise vulnerable to the high mercury in swordfish, this fish cooks beautifully on a grill, tastes wonderful with mango or basil for instance, and helps lower cholesterol, fight inflammation, reduce risk for some cancers, and may help battle arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, and memory loss! (University of Maryland Medical Center). Swordfish is loaded with protein, omega-3, selenium, B-12, and vitamin D, but as an apex predator they eat a lot of other fish, which means they contain high levels of mercury - not good for pregnant women. Though there is a "bull" there is no "ram" shark and there is a "jelly" but no "jam" fish.

Answer: Burger

This photo shows a grilled tuna "burger", piled on top of the hamburger more typically seen. Seafood is spectacular on steak, too, or you can eat a sea bass, red snapper, salmon or one of many other great grilled sea fish by themselves on a burger bun.

A sea fish burger is fantastic with a zesty fruit juice like orange or lemon, or try adding chili peppers or sesame sauce. There are thousands of scrumptious recipes for seafood burgers. Just remember your sea fish will cook up much faster than the steak or hamburger you are going to add it to, and is more delicate to turn or handle.

Answer: Stone

The lobster you sea in the photo is "stone grilled", on a piece of stone crockery which is generally flat and slightly rough. Most often you hear of pizza "stone baked" but you can use a stone to cook many foods, as they have in the aboriginal Americas, Japan, New Zealand and Hawaii for eons. Cooking with rock or stone creates a very hot surface that retains heat well and evenly.

This lobster isn't likely to scorch, burn or cook in patches. You can carefully move the hot stone to a serving spot where the lobster will stay warm on it quite a while, oozing with hot butter. Take heed, the stone should be preheated or it may crack, and many people "season" their stone as well. If you happen to be on a beach, heat rocks to glowing, then basically dig a hole, line it, cover with wet seaweed, place your lobster, clams or another seafood on it, add more seaweed and place vegetables. Cover it all with the popular beer-soaked tarp or your preference. Enjoy! You'll be "grilling" as they have for centuries, and the taste is out of this world.