Grilled Halibut With Watermelon Salsa
Posted by Jennifer Olvera, July 14, 2012
Refreshing, juicy watermelon is the perfect stand-in for tomatoes in salsa. [Photograph: Jennifer Olvera]
Note: Feel free to use whatever kind of chile you prefer. Habaneros would work well, given their inherent fruitiness. Prefer something milder? Opt for jalapenos.
About the author: Jennifer Olvera is a veteran food and travel writer and author of "Food Lovers' Guide to Chicago." Follow her on Twitter @olverajennifer.
Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!
Ingredients
serves serves 2, active time 15 minutes, total time 25 minutes
For the Halibut:
1 pound skin-on halibut fillet
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Watermelon Salsa:
2 cups chopped, seedless watermelon
2 Thai chiles or 1 Serrano pepper, finely minced
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (about 1/2 small)
1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh juice from 1 lime
Procedures
Drizzle fish with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to the highest heat setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes.
While the grill is heating, prepare the salsa by combining all ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Clean and oil the grilling grate.
Place fish over hot side of grill skin-side down. Cook without moving until skin is crisp and rendered, about four minutes. Carefully flip fish with a wide spatula. and cook on second side until cooked through. Flesh should be slightly flaky and offer no resistance when pierced with a toothpick or cake tester.
Remove fish from grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve with watermelon salsa.