Parsley-stuffed Grilled Porgy and Mackerel
Region: Italy
Category: Seafood-Grilled
Season: Summer
Difficulty: Easy but special equipment needed

These two small fish are ideal for a fast grill.  You may not necessarily have these two fish available to you so use whatever is the freshest whole fish of like size.  I like the contrast between the mild tasting white flesh of the porgies, also called scup, and the darker, denser meat of the mackerel.  Since fifty percent of the weight of a whole fish is lost in the trimming these four pounds of fish will yield 2 pounds or less of fillet. The red fish in the photo is a Pacific fish called idiot fish, kinki fish, or shortspine thornyhead (Sebastolobus alascanus).  It has delicious soft flesh.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Preparation Time: 35 minutes

Two 1-pound mackerel, cleaned and gutted, tail and fins removed, heads left on

Two 1-pound porgies (scup), cleaned and gutted, tail and fins removed, heads left on

12 sprigs fresh parsley

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

1. Prepare a hot  charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill on high for 15 minutes. 

2. Stuff 3 parsley sprigs into each fish.  Coat the fish with oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and grill until the dorsal fin could be pulled off with a tug, 15 to 16 minutes in all, turning once.  (The fish will be done quicker if within an inch or two if the fire).  Serve sprinkled with the mint.

Variation: 

Note: 

Posted: 01/02/2007