Whole Fish With Mint Recipes

WHOLE FISH WITH MINT

Steps:

• Place a wire rack in the bottom of a roasting pan and add an inch of water to the pan. Place pan on the stove over two burners and bring water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, rinse and dry the fish inside and out. Place on a heat-safe platter and stuff the cavity with half the ginger, scallions, and chile pepper, all the garlic, and 4 sprigs mint. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Top fish with remaining ginger, scallions, and chile pepper, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Transfer platter to preparedpan. Cover tightly with foil and steamuntil opaque throughout, about15 minutes. Carefully lift platterfrom pan, retaining the juices.
• Meanwhile, combine lime juice and oil in a medium-size bowl. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste, and add remaining mint and the basil leaves. Toss to coat the herbs.
• Place herb mixture on top of the fish and serve immediately.

GRILLED BRANZINO WITH CILANTRO-MINT RELISH

Steps:

• Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Mix onion, cilantro, lime juice, ginger, sugar, chopped mint, half of chiles, and 1/3 cup oil in a medium bowl; season with salt. Set relish aside.
• Season inside of fish with salt. Stuff with mint sprigs, lime slices, and remaining chiles; tie with kitchen twine. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt. Grill fish until skin is crisp and flesh is flaky and opaque down to the bone, about 5 minutes per side. (If a small knife slides easily through the thickest part of flesh, the fish is done.) Serve with relish.
• DO AHEAD: Fish can be stuffed and tied and relish can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover separately and chill.

WHOLE FISH WITH SOY AND CITRUS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Thinly slice half the lemon, half the lime and half the orange.
• Using a sharp paring knife, make 2 to 3 1/2-inch-deep diagonal incisions on each side of the fish, not quite down to the bone, but enough to visibly score the flesh. Season fish inside and out with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in the largest, oven-safe skillet you own (at least 12 inches) on the stove over medium-high heat. Pick up the fish by the tail and gently lower the fish into the skillet away from you to avoid hot oil splatters.
• As soon as the fish is in the skillet, use tongs or a fish spatula to lightly press the fish, encouraging the skin to make even contact with the skillet. Cook, continuing to press lightly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully place a few slices of citrus inside the cavity of the fish, letting a few escape and sizzle in the skillet alongside the fish.
• Add butter and soy sauce to the skillet, letting the butter sizzle and foam up. Tilt the skillet slightly toward you to allow the buttery soy sauce mixture to pool on one side. Using a large spoon, baste the fish a few times, letting the sauce sizzle and foam up around the fish and into the parts where you've made the incisions.
• Transfer the whole skillet to the oven and continue to cook until the fish is firm to the touch and you can see that the flesh has gone from translucent to white and opaque, 15 to 18 minutes. (You may need a few minutes more if you have an especially meaty snapper.)
• Place fish on a large serving platter (leaving the sauce behind), along with remaining halved lemon, lime and orange for squeezing over the top. Add lime juice to the skillet and swirl to combine. Pour sauce over fish and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, serving cilantro alongside for nibbling in between bites of fish, like a very spriggy salad.

GRILLED WHOLE FISH IN CHILE, GARLIC AND MINT SAUCE (A KREMEZI)

Steps:

• Mix together the first 5 ingredients (chiles through olive oil).
• Season with a little salt, mix, then taste (the sauce should taste hot) and re-season as needed.
• Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to 2 hours for the flavors to marry. (Note: prep time below only includes 30 minutes for this step).
• Light a charcoal grill or preheat a broiler.
• Salt the fish inside and out and place on an oiled grill about 5 inches from the heat source. Broil or grill, turning once, until done, about 15 minutes (I use the 10 minutes per inch of maximal thickness rule).
• Remove from the heat, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for about 5 minutes.
• Mix the sauce with the chopped tomato.
• You may serve the fish in one of two ways.
• Present the fish whole, with the sauce on the side. OR
• Cut the fish and place the two fillets, skin side down, on a heat-proof platter. Pour half the sauce over the fillets, sprinkle with black pepper and place under a very hot broiler for 15-20 seconds (just enough to warm the sauce). Sprinkle with parsley.
• Serve the fish (whether whole or as fillets) and pass the sauce (if the fish is left whole) or the remaining sauce (if the fillets are being served) separately.

ROAST WHOLE FISH WITH CHILE, MINT AND BASIL MARINADE

Steps:

• Puree all of the ingredients (except the fish) in a blender until smooth. In a dish large enough to fit the snapper, pour half the marinade over the fish. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the fish in a roasting pan and bake until fish is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Flash the fish under the broiler momentarily to crisp the skin. Place the fish on a platter and pour the remaining marinade over the top of the fish. Serve with steamed potatoes.

BAKED FISH WITH MINT & MANGO RELISH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and put the fish fillets in a roasting tin. Combine the chopped chilli, mango, cumin, ginger, mint, mango chutney and lime juice. Spoon a quarter of the relish on top of each fillet and pat it down into an even layer with your fingers.
• Put the bread in a food processor with the garam masala and turmeric and whizz to fine crumbs. Add the olive oil and give the processor one final pulse to mix everything together.
• Spoon the crumbs over the relish-topped fillets. Cover the tin with foil and bake for 10 mins. Remove the foil and continue cooking for another 5 mins until the fish flakes easily and the crumbs have crisped on top. Serve with a green salad - see recipe, below.