CHARRED MOKI WITH LEMON KINA BUTTER

SERVES 4 / PREPARATION 15 MINUTES / COOKING 20 MINUTES

A whole fish cooked over fire is my favourite way to have fish – you get a beautiful smoky flavour, crispy skin and succulent pieces of fish. I like to use mostly fruit wood for my fire cooking; for this dish I used apricot wood.

LEMON KINA BUTTER

8 kina roe

150g softened butter 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Put the kina roe, butter and lemon juice into a bowl. Using a handheld mixer or food mixer, whizz together until the kina is well incorporated into the butter. Set aside.

1 whole moki, scaled, gutted olive oil

2 lemons, halved

Get the fire burning to a medium heat and place a grill grid above the fire to heat. Pat the fish dry inside and out, cut slashes into the flesh, rub liberally with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper on both sides making sure to get into the cuts. Carefully spray the grid well with oil then place the fish directly onto the grid – don’t try to move the fish around before it crisps and cooks or you’ll end up breaking the skin. Place the lemon halves onto the grill to char. Once the first side of the fish crisps and it is easy to lift (about 8 minutes), carefully turn it over and cook for about another 8 minutes. Once you’ve flipped the fish, take a large pan big enough to hold the fish, and put it onto the grill to gently heat. Once both sides of the fish are cooked, carefully place the fish into the pan, spoon the kina butter around the fish and allow it to melt gently but do not let it boil. Once the kina butter has melted, spoon over the moki and take off the heat. Squeeze over charred lemon juice and serve immediately.