salted sea Bream with lemongrass and thyme
Buy the freshest sea bream you can source, preferably from a sun-wizened Greek fisherman standing on the edge of his boat in his ripped shorts and smoking a cigarette. Failing that, my advice is take the time to get to know your local fishmonger.
Serves 4
4 whole sea bream, gutted (ask your fishmonger to do this)
A handful of fresh thyme sprigs
4 lemongrass stalks
100g sea salt flakes
Olive oil, for oiling and drizzling FOR THE DRESSING 1 stalk lemongrass
A few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 garlic clove, crushed A handful of freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley A pinch of dried chilli (optional)
Olive oil, as required 1 Cut two diagonal slits in the flesh of each fish on one side. Push a couple of sprigs of thyme into each slit, then repeat on the other side. Push a lemongrass stalk through the mouth of the fish, so it goes all the way through into the cavity of the fish, then fill each fish with the remaining thyme. 2 Lightly oil each fish and sprinkle half the salt over one side of the fish, do the same for the other side. You’re not going to be eating the salt, so add more if they are not well coated. 3 Place the prepared fish onto the preheated barbecue/outdoor grill over direct medium heat for about 5-6min, or until the fish is charred. Use a fish knife or spatula to turn the fish over – turn them topside down, so the stuffing doesn’t fall out. Cook for another 5-6min until cooked through. Remove the fish and place onto a large chopping board. 4 To make the dressing, peel off a few leaves from the lemongrass stick, then finely chop the centre. Add a small squeeze of lemon juice, the garlic, a little olive oil and enough finely chopped parsley to create a thick dressing (a pinch of chilli flakes wouldn’t go amiss here either). Serve the fish with the dressing.