This recipe is a little bit gourmet and a little bit redneck. I’m not sure which one wins in the end, but it’s safe to say that you’re not gonna care. This grilled prosciutto-wrapped fish on a stick is super-tender and full of flavor thanks to the easy-to-make homemade chutney sauce it’s brushed with. A few tablespoons of pineapple jam, jelly, or preserves, mixed with a bit of barbecue sauce, olive oil, and ground chipotle is all that is needed to create a simple, flavorful, and insanely tasty grilled fish meal that feels almost gourmet.
I’m pretty certain this is my most Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde recipe so far, and ya’ know what? I’m perfectly okay with that. I have two sides of my personality that are constantly at war; the gourmet side and the redneck side, which if you’re paying close attention, likes to show itself more than most would imagine. B.O.B. Bob has been pondering lately over my use of “Y’all” in this here blog of mine. He finds it odd that I write the word so often, yet rarely use it in everyday life. Folks, you heard it here first, B.O.B. Bob is deaf. I’m not sure how he hasn’t heard me say this word at least 1,000 times, but somehow he hasn’t. Funny, because I certainly hear him say “Can” about 1,000,000 times a week, and I’d like to strangle whoever taught him this word to say in response to every question imaginable.
When Sue of A Palatable Pastime suggested “Seafood on a Stick” as this month’s #FishFridayFoodies theme, my dual personalities instantly went to war. The gourmet side screamed, “Can we please have something besides shrimp skewered on a stick? Your creativity has been lacking of late.” The redneck side said, “Y’all better not serve me something all gussied up like a pig with an apple in his little ol’ mouth.” With this recipe, I think I’ve somehow managed to make both those crazies happy. Tilapia wrapped in prosciutto and then skewered on a stick, is by far the most gourmet fish stick this girl could ever dream of. I mean come on folks, who can say no to fish wrapped in prosciutto and then grilled? Certainly not I. So I bet you’re wondering right about now where redneck comes into the equation? Why with the chutney of course. Around here, I can’t even find a decent red pepper jelly at my local store, yet alone a jar of chutney that I could actually describe as edible. So in true redneck fashion, I whipped up my own last-minute version.
Chutney is basically sweet chunky jam with a vinegar tang and a bit of spice thrown in for good measure. Come on now y’all, that don’t sound all that fancy now does it? A little bit of chunky pineapple jam, a smidgen of barbeque sauce for a vinegar tang, and just an itty bitty pinch of ground chipotle for heat is all it takes. Oh, and a tablespoon of olive oil to help prevent grill-stickage, because no one needs grill-stickage in their life. This recipe is so doggone simple that it’s almost a sin. Wanna redneck gourmet it up even more? Use a rosemary sprig to slop on the sauce as you’re grilling, which will leave you one less thing to clean up afterwards as well as give the fish a hint of rosemary. So what do y’all think? Is this a recipe you can say “Can” to?
Ingredients:
Redneck Pineapple Chutney:
- 2 Tablespoons Pineapple Jam, Jelly, or Preserves
- 1 Tablespoon Barbecue Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Chipotle
Gourmet Prosciutto Wrapped Fish Sticks:
- 3/4 to 1 Pound Tilapia Fillets (2 Fillets)
- 1/2 Pound Prosciutto, Thinly Sliced
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Directions:
Redneck Pineapple Chutney:
- Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
Gourmet Prosciutto Wrapped Fish Sticks:
- Preheat grill to approximately 400 degrees.
- Cut each tilapia fillet in half lengthwise.
- Wrap each tilapia half in prosciutto and then thread it onto a metal skewer.
- Drizzle both sides of each prosciutto-wrapped fillet with olive oil and then use a pastry brush or rosemary sprig to distribute the oil evenly.
- Place the skewered fish sticks onto a hot grill, and then brush them with half of the chutney.
- Grill covered for 4 to 5 minutes, flip, and then brush with the remaining chutney.
- Grill covered for 4 to 5 minutes, or just until the fish is cooked all the way through.
- Remove the wrapped fish from the skewers and serve immediately.
Suggestions:
- Metal skewers are great to grill with. They don’t stick to grilled meat or seafood as much as the wooden variety.
- Make sure to wrap your fish fillets well. If there is even a tiny bit of fish exposed, it will stick to the grill.
- Each tilapia fillet will have a thick and a thin side. Each side will take a different time to cook. I found that 4 minutes per side was adequate for the thin side, and 5 to 6 minutes was perfect for the thick side.
- Cooking times may vary depending on the heat of your grill.
Improvements:
- Serve on a bed of rosemary sprigs.
- Place a few chunks of fresh pineapple on either end of the skewer.
- Replace the pineapple jam, jelly, or preserves with peach, pear, or fig.
- Serve this fish with this Buttery Weeknight Rice Pilaf with Parsley or this Corn & Tomato Salad with Hot Honey Vinaigrette.
Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons Pineapple Jam, Jelly, or Preserves
- 1 Tablespoon Barbecue Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Chipotle
- 3/4 to 1 Pound Tilapia Fillets (2 Fillets)
- 1/2 Pound Prosciutto, Thinly Sliced
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Directions:
- Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
- Preheat grill to approximately 400 degrees.
- Cut each tilapia fillet in half lengthwise.
- Wrap each tilapia half in prosciutto and then thread it onto a metal skewer.
- Drizzle both sides of each prosciutto-wrapped fillet with olive oil and then use a pastry brush or rosemary sprig to distribute the oil evenly.
- Place the skewered fish sticks onto a hot grill, and then brush them with half of the chutney.
- Grill covered for 4 to 5 minutes, flip, and then brush with the remaining chutney.
- Grill covered for 4 to 5 minutes, or just until the fish is cooked all the way through.
- Remove the wrapped fish from the skewers and serve immediately.
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Fish Friday Foodies is a group of friends who get together on the third Friday of each month to share their favorite fish and seafood recipes based on a theme chosen by one of its members. This month’s “Seafood on a Stick” theme is being hosted by A Palatable Pastime. Please make sure to check out the other great “Seafood on a Stick” recipes below.
- Blackened Mango Shrimp on a Stick by Sid’s Sea Palm Cooking
- Goan Prawns On Sticks by Sneha’s Recipe
- Gourmet Prosciutto Wrapped Fish Sticks with Redneck Pineapple Chutney by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Grilled Low Country Boil Skewers by Culinary Cam
- Lobster Kebabs with Basil Chimichurri by The Saucy Southerner
- Lobster Spiedini by Palatable Pastime
- Maple Bacon Wrapped Shrimp by Making Miracles
- Sea Scallops with a Jalapeño and Grapefruit Marinade by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Seafood on a Skewer with Chimichurri by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Tandoori Shrimp (Prawns) by Caroline’s Cooking
