Sea Mullet

Baked Sea Mullet with Tomato, Olive, Caper Sauce

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic
1 small bunch fresh basil (or substitute rosemary for seasonality)
olive oil
1 fresh red chilli
1 16oz can of tomatoes
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
red wine vinegar
sea mullet fish fillets
1 handful black or kalamata olives, stone in
1 tablespoon capers, drained

To make your sauce, first peel and finely slice the garlic cloves. Pick the basil leaves (or rosemary) and put aside, finely slice. Add a good couple of lugs of olive oil to a large pan on medium heat. Add the garlic. Pierce the chilli once with a knife so it doesn’t explode when frying, and add to the pan. Fry gently until the garlic is soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally.

Add the tin of tomato and season lightly with the salt and pepper. Gently simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Remove the chilli. Break and mush the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Season the sauce really carefully with more salt and pepper, if needed, and add a tiny swig of red wine vinegar to give it a little twang.

For the fish, preheat the oven to 425°F. Pour your tomato sauce into a roasting tray. Season the fish fillets on both sides with a little salt and pepper, then place on top of the sauce. Squash the olives, using the base of a jar or something heavy, and remove the stones. Sprinkle the olives and capers over the fish. Scatter the reserved basil leaves (or rosemary) over the fish.

Cook in the oven for around 10 minutes or until the fish is cooked through (check by cutting into the thickest part of one or two of the fillets; they should be pearly white and not transparent). Lovely served with new potatoes and a green salad.

Broiled Sea Mullet in Lemon Butter

Ingredients:
1 lb sea mullet fillets
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1⁄2 lemon, juiced
1⁄4 tsp salt
dash pepper
1⁄2 lemon
sliced
 fresh parsley

Butter a glass baking dish and arrange fillets in the dish. Combine the lemon, butter, salt and pepper and drizzle over the fish; reserve some for use when serving. Broil on highest rack for 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley.

Carolina Classic Fried Sea Mullet

Ingredients:
1 lb sea mullet fillets
¾ cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
veggie or peanut oil

Cover bottom of frying pan ½ deep with veggie oil and heat on med high until a dash of flour bubbles the oil. Salt and pepper fish. Roll fish in flour until coated well. Place fish in pan and cook until golden brown. Do not overcook. Serve with hushpuppies, French fries, slaw, and sweat tea the Carolina way.