Whole grilled thicklip grey mullet, roasted yellow zucchini, and tomato-red onion pico de gallo

Ingredients

• 850 g whole thicklip grey mullet, gutted and scaled, very fresh, about 800 to 900 g
• 2 pieces firm yellow zucchini
• 3 pieces ripe but firm heirloom tomatoes
• 180 g fresh tomato pico de gallo
• 1 piece red onion
• 1 piece sweet red bell pepper
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 2 pieces unwaxed lime
• 0.5 bunches fresh cilantro
• 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 piece mild fresh red chili or jalapeño
• to taste fine salt
• to taste whole black peppercorns

Method

1. Take the thicklip grey mullet out of the refrigerator and pat it very thoroughly dry, inside and out. Lightly score the skin on both sides without cutting deeply into the flesh: the skin should be able to grill and contract without tearing the fish.
2. Season the inside and outside of the fish with salt and pepper, then rub the skin with a thin film of olive oil. Tuck a little crushed garlic, cilantro, and lime into the cavity. Let the fish come to room temperature for about 20 minutes: it should lose its refrigerator chill without beginning to cook.
3. Prepare the pico de gallo according to the prepared component. Keep it chilled, but take it out a few minutes before serving so the tomato is not ice-cold against the hot fish.
4. Heat the oven to 220 °C or prepare a very hot grill. Cut the yellow zucchini into thick, long strips and the bell pepper into wide strips. Season them with olive oil, garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
5. Roast the zucchini and bell pepper on a hot sheet pan in a single layer for about 15 to 18 minutes. Turn them halfway through: the edges should brown, the center should remain juicy, and the bell pepper should begin to collapse without becoming confited.
6. Meanwhile, heat a large grill pan, plancha, or barbecue grate over medium-high heat. The surface is ready when a drop of water immediately sizzles and almost instantly evaporates.
7. Set the thicklip grey mullet on the oiled grate and do not move it at the beginning of cooking. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes on the first side, until the skin is clearly marked, smells cleanly grilled, and almost releases on its own when you gently lift the tail.
8. Turn the fish with two wide spatulas so you do not break the skin. Cook the other side for about 6 to 8 minutes. The flesh is ready when it flakes near the bone, the eye has turned opaque, and the juices beading at the scores run clear.
9. If the fish is very thick, finish cooking it in a 180 °C oven for a few minutes, just until the center is hot. Avoid extending the cooking time: the thicklip grey mullet should remain pearly and moist around the central bone.
10. Let the fish rest off the heat for about 5 minutes, under a sheet of parchment or foil laid on top without tightening it. The rest completes the heat transfer and keeps the first fillet from losing its juices when cut.
11. Arrange the yellow zucchini and bell pepper in a broad but shallow bed. Set the whole thicklip grey mullet on top or fillet it at the table. Add the remaining fresh tomatoes in wedges, then spoon the pico de gallo in small amounts around the fish, never in a blanket over the entire skin.
12. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a few cilantro leaves, lime juice, and a turn of pepper. Serve immediately, while the skin still crackles under the fork and the pico contrasts with the heat of the fish.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

963.4 kcal

Protein

51.23 g

Carbohydrate

22.48 g

Fat

75.65 g

Fibre

8.53 g

Calcium

103.06 mg

Iron

2.03 mg

Magnesium

31.91 mg