Grilling Fish

Appears in
Food of the Sun: A Fresh Look at Mediterranean Cooking

By Alastair Little and Richard Whittington

Published 1995

  • About
There is no better means of cooking good fresh fish than grilling — that simplest and most difficult of cooking treatments which, more than any other, reminds us of Mediterranean journeys and holidays by the sea.

So many fish are suitable for grilling: sea bass, red and grey mullet, red snapper and monkfish are all firm - and white-fleshed candidates for the fire. However, barbecuing fish is a challenge for even accomplished cooks, since there is so little control over the heat. Whole fish are tricky anyway, because they come inconveniently in different sizes and different thicknesses. The distribution of bone varies from species to species, while some fish are more oily than others. Fish under 450 g/1 lb in weight are difficult not to overcook, while fish over 900 g/2 lb are hard to cook uniformly. If the centre at the bone is done, then the flesh closer to the skin is frequently dry.