fish

barbecued red mullet with a hot salsa

servings
4

method

When cooking fish, you don’t have to stick to soft herbs like tarragon or dill – gutsy, woody herbs like oregano, thyme or rosemary are great with fish like red mullet.

In the UK, red mullet are hard to get hold of at the moment. Make sure your fish is from a sustainable source, and if you can’t find sustainable red mullet, go for small red snapper instead.

First get your barbecue going, with the coals piled up high on one side so it's super hot and low on the other side for a more gentle heat to give you some control.

With a sharp knife, score each of your fish all over on both sides, about 1cm deep. This helps the flavors to get into the fish and will allow the heat right in so the fish gets cooked evenly right down to the bone.

Get a big chopping board ready. Roughly chop the oregano leaves, then scatter them over the board. Sprinkle over a generous amount of salt and pepper. Roll the fish over board, pushing them down and rubbing the flavorings into the slashes.

Place fish on to the hot side of the barbie to give them a bit of colour. You’ll be making your salsa on the cooler side (or on your hob). Just heat a little olive oil in a frying pan, add the chopped olives and warm them through for a minute or so. Add the garlic, chili and rosemary sprigs, give it a good toss and gently fry while you finish cooking your fish.

After about 4 minutes, turn the fish over by easing them off the grill with a fish slice – be patient otherwise they will stick – and cook for another 4 minutes until cooked and moist on the inside, with a crispy skin on the outside.

Remove and discard the sprigs of rosemary from the frying pan; they will have released lots of flavor so they've done their job. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and toss. Squeeze in the lemon juice and add the parsley leaves. Give the salsa a taste. Olives are usually quite salty so you probably don’t need any more salt but that's your call. I might add a little pepper though. Once everything is warmed through, take the pan off the heat.

Remove the fish to a plate. To make sure they are cooked, pull a bit of the meat away from the bone. If it comes away easily, you're in business.

Serve the fish simply with some salsa spooned over the top.

PS If you've got any leftovers, what I like to do is pull the fish away from the bone and flake it into a bowl. Toss with the leftover salsa, add some extra torn parsley leaves or peppery rocket, and serve with some nice bread.

ingredients

• 4 red mullet, scaled, cleaned and gutted
• a small bunch of fresh oregano, leaves picked
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the salsa:
• olive oil
• a handful of black olives, stoned and roughly chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
• a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 6 ripe tomatoes, different colors if you can find them, roughly chopped
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and torn

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1. by salsa recipe on Tue 14 Dec 2010 @ 03:33

Thanks for an amazing blog, and a great recipe

2. by Matt Blake on Fri 08 May 2009 @ 16:22

I have to say Jamie, big fan of yours! after watchin jamie at home series its inspired me to grow our own and you want to see the back garden now!! chili plants in the conservatory, tomato plants hanging from the fence posts and potatoes in every tub possible!!

favorite home dish has to be the steak guiness pie and its fantastic flavor (the kids love it too) and cheese cake has orders coming in from all our directions. I get asked to that many of my mates bbq parties now cause they all now how good "my" bbq sauce is! Nice twist on it is to put golden syrup in to it especially on the pork ribs.

Thanks again Jamie Series 3 please!!!!

3. by Nuno Martins on Sun 26 Apr 2009 @ 21:57

love the series of Jamie at Home, too bad most people here in Portugal don´t know your wonderful work.
I personnaly don´t miss one episode of your show.
I hope you someday come to Portugal to try our great regional food.
keep up the good work,and remember that you have fans all over the world.

4. by Enrica on Sun 26 Apr 2009 @ 10:57

Looks delicious!
I'm looking forward to going to the fifteen on the 29. of May. It's a fabulous restaurant!

5. by Stef on Sun 12 Apr 2009 @ 22:27

If you're Canadian you might be tempted to spell barbecue as bbq. Saves us time.

6. by Nuvolari on Tue 30 Dec 2008 @ 16:45

You are the best of the best ,good luck

7. by johanne on Sat 20 Sep 2008 @ 07:17

i love all your recipes good work i love fish

8. by Rammy on Thu 22 May 2008 @ 10:51

love ur fish mate but it looks a bit burned.but i will name my new fish after you

9. by kukanov on Thu 04 Oct 2007 @ 06:03

I love you people
George

10. by lqs on Sat 15 Sep 2007 @ 17:04

put more black pepper in and celery salt

11. by lachlan on Wed 12 Sep 2007 @ 15:10

i love your show

12. by Syd on Thu 06 Sep 2007 @ 17:21

There's no Q in barbecue.

13. by CERENNNN on Sun 02 Sep 2007 @ 02:49

you should take a better picture of it because it looks kind of wrong lol

14. by kim weston on Wed 29 Aug 2007 @ 23:46

Love watching Jamie, he is so down to earth about cooking, his recipes are easy to follow & his enthusiasm makes you want to get up & try the same whatever the hour! Long may he & his expertise adorn our screens.

15. by Gary Halkon on Wed 29 Aug 2007 @ 17:55

Loving the series of Jamie at Home..
Whats better than getting more

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