GRILLED SPICY CORVINA WITH CHIPOTLE RANCH SAUCE

Sometimes I love living in a small town and sometimes I don't.  The don't is when I go to shop.  How I'd love to be able to shop at Whole Foods, Fresh Market or Trader Joe's on a weekly basis.  New Bern's only salvation is Harris Teeter.  Without Harris Teeter, I'd be totally miserable and wanting to move.  I can find most of what I need there, with only occasional trips to Greenville or Wilmington for certain hard-to-find items.

Take, for instance, Harris Teeter's seafood department.  I can always get decent salmon, or other fish, there.  When it's frozen, Harris Teeter thaws it daily and sells so much of it that you always get a freshly thawed piece.  When it's fresh, the fish moves quickly because of the volume of customers, so it's usually good tasting.  Recently, they had fresh Corvina, from Suriname (a small country bordering the Atlantic Ocean in northern South America).  I had never heard of Corvina, let alone tasted it, but decided to be adventurous.

Corvina, it turns out, is a mild, firm white fish similar to sea bass.  A spicy marinade and sauce gave the fish some flavor, and I found it so enjoyable I actually went to bed thinking about it, how I wanted more of it.
It was quick and easy to prepare -- I just grilled it after a brief marinade.

If you come across Corvina, be sure to try this recipe.  But, if Corvina doesn't show up on your radar screen, you can use any mild white fish  (cod, grouper, tilapia....).  This recipe will not make the fish so hot that your throat will burn.  It will just give you some nice mouth heat, sufficient to wake up the flavors.

Grilled Spicy Corvina with Chipotle Ranch Sauce
Bear Rating:  10 out of 10

CLICK FOR PRINTABLE PAGE

MARINADE:
4 Tbsp. mild olive or vegetable oil
4 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1-1/2 tsp. chili powder (I used McCormick Hot Mexican-Style Chili Powder)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1 garlic clove, minced or grated (about 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. sea salt

FISH:  1 lb. mild, firm white fish (Corvina, cod, grouper, tilapia.....)


SAUCE:
1/4 cup bottled ranch dressing
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce

In plastic resealable bag, combine all marinade ingredients; seal bag; massage to mix.  Add fish; marinate 1/2 hour or up to 1 hour.  While fish is marinating, prepare sauce.  Combine sauce ingredients in small bowl; refrigerate.

Heat gas grill to medium-hot (about 400F).  Clean grates with brush; oil well with folded paper towel soaked in vegetable oil.  Grill fish 3-4 minutes per side, or till fish flakes easily with fork.  Serve with sauce.

Yield:  2-3 servings  (Note:  Leftovers are delicious cold on a salad or alone, and can also be reheated gently in a small pan.)