Seafood is fast food. Eight to 10 minutes on the grill, and dinner is served. Seared over an open flame, seafood is nutritious, delicious and generally low in belt-busting calories. What's not to like?

EVANS CAGLAGE/DMN

Salmon is festive enough for party food. Serve it with rice seasoned with grilled fruit and nuts.

Today's sophisticated backyard chefs, according to appliance giant Jenn-Air, are more likely to sear swordfish than flip burgers, brats and dogs. Accompanied by a colorful salsa, a red-pepper relish or simply draped across a bed of baby greens, grilled seafood is fine dining at home.

"For beginners, I'd recommend something like swordfish because it's relatively simple to cook," says Tim Lords, executive chef at Scott's Seafood Grill and Bar in Sacramento, Calif.

Swordfish, with its firm, meatlike texture, should be cooked through yet still be moist when pulled off the grill. Next, try salmon and shrimp, and then tackle ahi, lobster or oysters paired with more ambitious salsas and marinades.

Some seafood, such as perch or flounder, has a tendency to fall apart on the grill. Cook these in hinged, wire baskets to allow for safe turning, or save them for the frying pan, steamer or oven.

Bill John, formerly executive chef for Scott's Seafood, designates swordfish, ahi, ono, spearfish, sturgeon and salmon as fish particularly suitable for grilling.

"Swordfish doesn't fall apart," chef John says. "Grill it on medium-high heat on a well-oiled grill, but not so much oil that it flares up."

Tuna, says chef John, can be tricky to grill because it sometimes sticks. Salmon, he says, is a terrific fish for the grill.

"The most important thing to keep in mind when grilling seafood is not to overcook it," he says. "Perfectly cooked seafood is moist and flavorful. Overcook it, and it becomes dry and tasteless."

How do you know when seafood is done? The standard is to measure the piece of fish at its thickest part and grill 10 minutes per inch (5 minutes per side). If the piece is thicker on one end, slice off the thinnest area and grill it separately. Whole fish will require longer cooking times.

If you enjoy fish on the dry side, go with the 10-minute-per-inch rule.

Shave 2 minutes from the standard cooking time, and you're more likely to enjoy a moist and flavorful piece of fish. Fish continues to cook after it's removed from the hot grill.

EVANS CAGLAGE/DMN

Seafood -- whether it's fish fillets or shrimp for a weeknight dinner or lobster tails for a special occasion -- grills in minutes.

"Fish is done when it begins to turn opaque and just starts to flake when tested with a fork, yet is still moist and juicy," chef John says.

Shrimp can cook through in 2 to 4 minutes on a hot grill. As soon as shrimp begins to flash a reddish hue and the flesh turns milky white, remove immediately or they'll turn into chewing gum. To prevent shrimp from spinning on the skewer, double-skewer them for stability and more-even cooking. If you use bamboo skewers, soak them in water for an hour or more to prevent the wood from igniting.

Add a touch of the exotic by spreading shellfish on a hot grill. Oysters, mussels and clams are ready when the shells open. Remove carefully to keep juices in the shells. Discard those that don't open.

Lobster tails are a special treat when infused with smoky grill flavor and brushed with butter. In his book How to Grill (Workman, $19.95), Steven Raichlen walks cooks through grilling a spiny lobster tail, but his methods would work with other types of lobster.

He butterflies the tails, using shears to make a lengthwise cut through the hard top shell. He cuts the tail meat in half lengthwise with a knife, but doesn't cut all the way through, before opening the tail in the butterfly shape.

Next, he places the tails, meat side down, over direct high heat to sear the meat. After 3 minutes, the tails are flipped over and basted with butter, plain or flavored. The lobsters are grilled for 6 to 8 minutes more and basted during the final few minutes.

Cooking time and results for fish also depend on the method of grilling: indirect heat or direct heat. Placed directly over coals or burners, fish will cook much faster and develop those desirable grill markings. To help prevent fish from falling apart, turn only once.

For longer cooking times, use indirect heat in which seafood is arranged away from the coals. Shut the lid. No turning is required.

Once removed from the grill, seafood becomes a perfect partner for mango salsa, berry compotes, pestos, pasta, steamed rice and any number of other tantalizing side dishes and sauces.

If you marinate seafood and plan to use the marinade later as a sauce atop cooked fish, be sure to boil the liquid a minimum of 5 minutes to kill any potentially harmful bacteria.

Since marinades break down tissue, it's not a good idea to marinate delicate fish more than half an hour. Swordfish and shark can tolerate longer stretches.

Perhaps the most important aspect to grilling seafood is undivided attention. Don't leave the grill or allow yourself to be sidetracked. The reward will be a memorable feast and compliments from your guests.

Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service

Marinade (recipe follows)

4 salmon fillets (with skin), about 6 ounces each and 1 inch thick

Dressing (recipe follows)

4 handfuls mixed salad greens (3 to 4 ounces)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves (divided use)

Prepare marinade. Place the salmon fillets in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare dressing; set aside.

Preheat gas barbecue grill to medium or, if using charcoal or wood, prepare a fire and let it burn until the coals or wood are ash-covered.

Remove the fillets from the bag and discard the marinade. Use a towel to oil the grill, using olive oil. Grill the salmon, flesh side down, over direct medium heat until you can lift the fillets with tongs without their sticking to the grate, 7 to 8 minutes. Turn, skin side down, and finish cooking for 2 to 3 minutes more. Slide a spatula between the skin and flesh and transfer the fillets to serving plates.

Toss the salad greens, tomatoes and half of the cilantro in the dressing. Divide the greens among the serving plates, garnish the fillets with the remaining cilantro and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Marinade: In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup fresh orange juice, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons tequila, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper with seeds, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon ground cumin.

Dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

PER SERVING: Cal 376 (56% fat) Fat 22 g (4 g sat) Fiber 1 g

Chol 94 mg Sodium 561 mg Carb 5 g

SOURCE: Weber's Big Book of Grilling

Dressing (recipe follows)

4 (7-ounce) tuna fillets, 1 inch thick

1 tablespoon peanut oil

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

Lime wedges

Prepare dressing up to 3 hours in advance; cover and refrigerate.

Brush fillets on both sides with oil. Crush the coriander seeds and peppercorns. Press crushed seeds on both sides of fillets. Preheat gas barbecue grill or, if using charcoal or wood, prepare a fire and let it burn until the coals or wood are ash-covered.

Grill over hot coals, 2 minutes per side for rare, 3 minutes per side for medium rare, 4 minutes per side for well done. Pour dressing over fillets and serve hot or at room temperature with lime wedges. Makes 4 servings.

Dressing: For dressing, remove and discard the tough outer skin from 2 lemongrass stalks and finely slice. Combine lemongrass; 1 fresh red chili, seeded and finely sliced; 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 2 tablespoons peanut oil; and 1/3 cup fresh lime juice.

Note: Coat tuna with spices up to 4 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate. A long metal spatula for turning fish on the grill is essential.

PER SERVING: Cal 323 (36% fat) Fat 13 g (3 g sat) Fiber 2 g Chol 93 mg Sodium 771 mg Carb 7 g

SOURCE: Grilling: Where There's Smoke There's Flavor

Fresh Basil Sauce (recipe follows)

4 (7-ounce) salmon steaks

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make the sauce; set aside. Preheat a gas barbecue grill to medium or, if using charcoal or wood, prepare a fire and let it burn until the coals or wood are ash-covered.

Brush salmon steaks on both sides with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-hot coals for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden on the outside but still moist and juicy in the center. Serve with Fresh Basil Sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Fresh Basil Sauce: Reserve 4 sprigs from 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves. Remove any large stalks from the remainder and place it into a food processor with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and a little salt and pepper. Once the basil has blended to a paste, very slowly pour in 6 tablespoons olive oil while the processor is running. Taste and adjust seasoning.

PER SERVING: Cal 530 (63% fat) Fat 36 g (6 g sat) Fiber 4 g Chol 109 mg Sodium 383 mg Carb 6 g

SOURCE: Ainsley Harriott's Barbecue Bible

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

32 large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds), in shells

In a small sauté pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, thyme, paprika, salt, cayenne and turmeric. Stir and cool to room temperature.

Using a sharp knife, split open the back of each shrimp and devein it. Place the shrimp in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place in a bowl and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat a gas barbecue grill to high or, if using charcoal or wood, prepare a fire and let it burn until the coals or wood are ash-covered.

Remove shrimp from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill over "direct high" heat until the shrimp are just opaque in the center and firm to the touch, 2 to 4 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Remove from the grill and serve warm or at room temperature with rice, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: Cal 140 (63% fat) Fat 10 g (6 g sat) Chol 108 mg Sodium 202 mg Carb 1 g

SOURCE: Weber's Big Book of Grilling

*To avoid a towering inferno, spray oil onto the fish in a fine mist from a spray bottle before grilling. Or brush oil onto the grates and allow the excess to burn off before grilling fish. Never spray nonstick cooking spray on the grate after lighting the fire.

*When grilling thin fish fillets, slice several lemons, place the slices on a well-oiled grill and then place the fillets on the lemon slices. When the fish is done, use a wide spatula to remove the fillets to a platter and use the lemon slices as an edible garnish.