La Plancha; in English we know it as a cast iron grill usually used on a campfire. For me, it’s a necessity for the barbeque. I became an huge fan after watching mexican chefs at the carniceria making street tacos to delicious perfection.

I’m a proponent of having tools that can multi-task. I don’t need any more “Miracle Grilling Solutions” that promise perfect fish and vegetables on the barbeque. With a well seasoned, cast iron Plancha I can control doneness no matter what size the cut or quantity of food. And I still get the aroma, pleasure, and flavor of cooking on the grill without the flare-ups and other problems that plague delicate foods.

I use a small one so that I can use the rest of my grill for other foods at the same time, or a larger one for cooking in quantity.

Here I’ve used a seasoning called Badia Sazon Completa (Complete Seasoning) with halibut and zucchini. I found this seasoning at a local Mexican market. I made an amazingly simple sweet corn puree and topped it with scallions and radish that I pickled.

Recipe:

4 4-6oz Halibut filets

Badia Sazon Completa (or seasoning of your choice)

2 ears sweet white or yellow corn

4 small zucchini cut into cubes

olive oil

1/4 cup milk, half & half or cream

salt & pepper

2 scallions chopped (white ends discarded)

2 tbls pickled radish slices cut into thin strips

Place the Plancha on the gril and heat to medium. Brush the surface lightly with some oil. Coat the halibut and zucchini lightly with oil and season generously with the Sazon Completa. Cut the corn off the cob and saute in a nonstick pan over medium heat with salt and pepper and just a couple of tablespoons of water. Cook until the corn just heats through and changes color. Remove from the heat and place in a blender. Let cool for a minute, then add the half and half and puree until smooth.

Place the fish on the Plancha along with the zucchini. Cook the fish about 2 minutes a side depending on the thickness. Turn the zucchini with a bbq spatula a couple of times while the fish is cooking. Remove frome the heat and cover.

Place the corn puree back in the saute pan and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and spoon onto the center of each plate. Lay the fish on top of the puree and top with some chopped scallion and the pickled radish. Add the zucchini to the plate.

Enjoy-RTK