Why You Should Grill a Whole Fish Rather Than Fillets





I like a meal that can look me squarely in the eye. But that’s not the only charm of cooking a whole fish.

Complete with bones and skin, a whole fish has more flavor and stays juicier and moister than the usual fillets and steaks. This is the case no matter the cooking method, but it’s especially true when it comes to the grill.

The intense heat of the grill can dry out delicate fish flesh, sending it from perfect to petrified in a matter of seconds. Look away to swat a mosquito, and your dinner may be lost.

Whole fish are more forgiving. The skin and bones keep the juices from evaporating too quickly, acting as insulation. And an added bonus for lovers of crisp fish skin: The grill will get you there, perhaps even more easily than a sauté pan. The only downside to grilling a whole fish is that the skin tends to stick to the grate. This is easily remedied by using a grill basket. But if you don’t have one, use a flat metal spatula, gently easing it under the fish skin before flipping, then hold your breath and hope for the best. If the skin rips, fear not. A garnish of chopped herbs hides all and tastes good, too.

As far as other seasonings go, a hit of salt coupled with the smokiness of the grill can be enough for mild fish: trout, dorade, branzino or anything else you like. But if you want to add aromatics — citrus, ginger, garlic, onions — the fish cavity is an ideal place to do so. Season the cavity with salt, stuff it with thinly sliced aromatics, then oil the skin, and you’ll be ready to go.

Here, I use lemongrass, sliced lime, cilantro stems and shallots inside the fish to give it a Thai perfume. I repeat those flavors in an accompanying sauce, adding Thai chile for heat, mint for verve, fish sauce for funk, and coconut milk for sweetness.

I usually serve family or guests their own whole fish (about a pound each), warning them about the bones. But if you are more refined, you can filet the fish after cooking, scooping the meat off the skeleton and serving it neatly, without bones and head.

At that point, the bones and head have done their work, and what’s left is tender flesh.

Grilled Whole Fish With Lemongrass, Chiles and Coconut

Spicy, herbal and a little sweet from the coconut milk, these grilled whole fish are perfumed with lemongrass and spiked with tiny, potent Thai chiles. I like dorade here, but you can use any small whole fish (1 pound or so). Have your fishmonger clean them but leave in the bones. They help keep the fish moist on the grill and add great flavor. You can also roast the fish instead of grilling; place them on a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 425 degrees until the fish is cooked through, usually 10 to 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS
4 (1-pound) whole dorade, branzino or trout, cleaned
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, more as needed
 Black pepper, as needed
1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil, softened or melted
3 limes
2 small shallots, peeled
1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems separated (about 2 cups leaves)
2 small stalks lemongrass, halved lengthwise and cut into 3-inch pieces
1 cup mint leaves, more for garnish
1 Thai chile or 1 to 2 serrano chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 small garlic cloves, grated on a microplane or minced
¼ teaspoon Asian fish sauce, more to taste
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon safflower or grapeseed oil


PREPARATION
Season cavities and outside of fish with salt and pepper. Rub skin all over with coconut oil.
Thinly slice 1 lime and 1 shallot. Cut another lime into wedges and save for garnish. Fill each fish cavity with lime and shallot slices, a handful of cilantro stems (discard the rest) and the lemongrass.

Prepare the sauce: Coarsely chop the remaining shallot and juice the remaining lime. In a mini food processor, combine shallot, 1 tablespoon lime juice, the cilantro leaves, the mint, the chile, the garlic, the fish sauce and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pulse until herbs are chopped, then add coconut milk and oil. Continue to pulse until a coarse, chunky sauce forms. (Don’t overdo it; you want a relish-like texture, not a purée.) Taste and add more salt, fish sauce and/or lime juice if necessary. (Alternatively, chop everything really finely by hand and stir in the coconut milk and lime juice.)
Sauce can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead. Refrigerate until needed.

Light or heat the grill to medium-high heat. Place fish in basket and grill until blistered and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (Poke the fish along the spine; it should be tender but still juicy.) Serve, garnished with lime wedges and mint leaves, with sauce on the side.