Fish Recipes

Fish and olive oil is the oldest pairing in the Mediterranean, and the one where a mediocre oil is most obvious.

Whole grilled fish with ladolemono

The Greek oil-and-lemon emulsion is the correct sauce for any grilled fish, and it takes two minutes.

You need

• A whole sea bream or sea bass, scaled and gutted
• Extra virgin olive oil
• A lemon
• Dried oregano
• Salt, black pepper

Method

Dry the fish thoroughly — wet skin steams instead of searing. Slash the flesh twice on each side, rub with oil and salt, and grill over a high heat, roughly six minutes per side depending on size, moving it as little as possible. For the ladolemono, whisk three parts olive oil into one part lemon juice with salt, pepper and a pinch of oregano until it thickens. Spoon it over the fish the moment it comes off the heat, so it soaks into the slashes.

Use: Intense — its bitterness balances the richness of the skin.

Olive oil poached fish

Gentle, forgiving, and impossible to dry out. The oil is not consumed — it is a heat medium, and you keep it.

You need

• Thick white fish fillets
• Enough extra virgin olive oil to just cover them
• A few strips of lemon zest
• A bay leaf, a sprig of thyme
• Salt

Method

Salt the fillets lightly and leave them for ten minutes. Warm the oil with the aromatics in a small deep pan to around 60 °C — barely warm to the touch, with no bubbles at all. Slide in the fish and hold it there for eight to twelve minutes depending on thickness. It is done when it flakes with almost no pressure. Lift out and drain. Strain the oil, keep it in the fridge, and use it for the next batch or for dressing potatoes.

Use: Smooth — at this quantity, a robust oil would overwhelm the fish.

A word on quantity

Most recipes under-specify olive oil because the writer is being polite about fat. If the oil is good, it is the flavour, not the lubricant — measure generously and taste.