greek-style whole grilled fish
In order to feel less alone while in Greece alone, I’d take myself to daily late lunch at Kantouni Traditional Delicacies, which sold whole fresh-caught grilled fish by the pound drenched in lemon butter along with half-liter bottles of very dry, very good house white. This is one of three places in Greece whose servers insisted on sitting with me with a shot of Metaxa so that I could not commit the sin of drinking by myself in the afternoon, so as you can imagine, I got some looks.
They don’t de-bone the whole fish at Kantouni, and that was potentially the most beneficial psychological aspect of the experience. It forces you to give up control completely. Yes, you will get pinbones, and you will have to spit them out. Yes, that is ok, and nobody will look sideways at you (at least, not anymore than they already are, seeing as you are alone). You just take many small bites, picking through the fish with a fork before you eat, so you don’t choke to death in front of all the cruise ship passengers having lunch next to you at a table for 18 (because again, remember, you are alone).
Market grilled sea bass at Kantouni Traditional Delicacies, Santorini, 2019
After you finish the first side, you can flip it over, and lift out the spine. I didn’t know this. I learned how to use a knife the right way only this year. So I just kept it in for dramatic effect, feeling like a resourceful cat with a fish skeleton picked clean on the plate.
At home, whole grilled fish is surprisingly easy to pull off, but it’s not for the faint: after all, you have to look it in the eyes while you eat it. Whole Foods’ seafood counter will clean and scale any of their whole fish for you, though, which makes the actual barrier to entry very low even for mongering amateurs such as myself. While I love butter as much as the next person, at home I make this with a loose herb-oil that got off the train too early to finish its actualization into a salsa verde.
Whole grilled branzini in LA restaurants go for $40+ at restaurants frequented for dates. If you’re ready for this step of intimacy, why not try it at home?
RECIPE
Face the fear, head on: whole fish is fun to eat, super flavorful, and grilling it up the Greek way is simpler than you think. Lemon, herbs, and zesty oil turn a whole fish into a simple, elegant, summer dinner perfect for sharing, unless you don’t want to.
Effortful time: 10 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Makes 1 fish (1 lb serves 2 as a general rule)
YOU NEED
For the fish
1 whole wild-caught fresh fish, cleaned and scaled, head-on — I like branzino and snapper, both common in Greece
1/2 lemon, cut into thin slices (about 6)
A few tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
For the herb oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small bunch chopped fresh herbs, about 1/4 cup: oregano, parsley, or a combination
Pinch of salt
The other half of the lemon, zested and juiced
MAKE IT
Prep your grill. Heat a grill to 450ºF. Clean the grill grates VERY well.
Prep your fish. Take your cleaned fish and lay it on a tray. There will be a split where it was cleaned that allows you to open it. Cut 1/2” scores into the skin on both sides, about 2” apart. Brush it all over with olive oil using a pastry brush or your hands, if you’re feeling rustic.
Season the fish. Salt and pepper the fish. Layer lemon slices into the inside cavity. They can overlap. It doesn’t matter. Let this stand for 20 minutes to come up to room temperature; this will help ensure the skin can crisp.
Mix your herb oil. Chop fresh herbs, sprinkle with salt, and lemon zest, and stir in the oil. Let that marinate briefly while you grill up your fish.
Grill the first side of the fish. Oil the grill grates thoroughly so nothing sticks. Put your fish on the grates and cook for 5-7 minutes—it will look crispy and charred.
Flip the fish. Use two grill-safe spatulas, or a spatula and tongs, to gently flip the fish onto its other side. Repeat the 5-7 minute cooking time.
Serve him up. Put the fish on a platter and squeeze with the remaining zested lemon. Spoon the oil over the fish and go straight at it from the same plate.