A few years ago my Jimmy and I were on vacation with my sister and her husband in Kauai.  It was such a fun vacation, and probably the vacation with the best food I’ve ever eaten.  We probably spent more on food on that vacation than any other trip, but it was sooooo worth it.  The very first night of the trip we ate dinner at a lovely little joint called Duke’s and I had the best fish on the planet.  Maybe it was the fact that we were eating fish that was swimming just hours earlier, or maybe it was the fact that we were in paradise, or just the fact that we were starving, but the fish was really good.

A few years later James recalled a similar experience on one of his trips to Yakutat Alaska.  That particular year the fishing wasn’t so good at the bay so they had chartered a guide to take them back in the woods to some fabulous rivers.  Their guides name was Frank.  A salty guy that was about as rough as they come.  Frank also was running from the law.  Or just technically “trying to disappear” from the real world.  He was wary of James and his party of friends.  They were a bunch of clean cut, young guys.   A bunch of dentists, lawyers, and a baker boy from Utah and Idaho and all as handsome as could be. Someone just happened to be wearing a plain blue baseball cap that day and Frank thought they were the FBI there to take him in.  It took some convincing that they really were just some regular old fishermen, out for the day. Once Frank was convinced, he took them to a great hole, and fixed the meal of meals for the boys right there on the side of the river with one of the salmon they had caught.

So what do these two stories have in common?  The method of preparation for the fish.  All you really need is a bottle of Mayo, and some flavorings of sorts.  Frank’s weapon of choice was apples.  My Kauai fish flavoring was Thai chilies, but both fish were scrumptious!  Frank filleted they fish, put a generous spread of Mayo on the fresh salmon and then topped it with apples slices.  He then wrapped it in foil and cooked the fish over a campfire.  My Kauai fish was prepared a little more gourmet with a few more ingredients, but technically it was made in a very similar fashion.

We love fish prepared this way at home.  It is so easy, and it creates such a tasty, yummy meal.  I’ve used lots of different ingredients, but the main ingredient is always the same.  I make the fish on the grill every time, and it usually only takes a couple of minutes to prepare and then about 10 minutes to cook.  Salmon is great this way, but Tilapia, or Halibut would be lovely.  Enjoy!