Whole Fish Recipes

Grilled Whole Fish (Mediterranean Style)

Grilling a whole fish over live fire is the defining seafood technique of the Mediterranean — practised from the Greek islands to the Spanish costa, from Turkey to Morocco — and it is dramatically simpler than it appears. A whole fish holds its moisture better than fillets (the skin and bones act as a self-basting, self-insulating shell), cooks more evenly, and has infinitely more flavor from the bones. The keys are three: the scoring (diagonal cuts through the skin so heat penetrates the flesh without waiting for it to tunnel in from the ends), the stuffing (fresh herbs and lemon slices that steam the interior with aromatic vapour as the fish cooks), and leaving the fish undisturbed for 7 to 8 minutes before the first flip so a full char crust forms and the fish releases cleanly from the grates. Sea bass (branzino), sea bream, red snapper, and whole trout are the best candidates: white-fleshed, mild, firm-skinned, and sized for individual portions.