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Baked Grey Mullet with Herbs.
Grey mullet is a saltwater fish that is often overlooked by most people. It is cooked like red mullet or sea bass, yet is no relation to the former, but is not similar in taste or flavour. Grey mullet has a distinctive strong flavour that is quite earthy.
As this fish is extremely underrated by most, it is very inexpensive to purchase due to the low demand. This is not, however, a reflection on the quality of the fish once it has been cooked, which is firm and quite similar to cod.
As this fish is extremely underrated by most, it is very inexpensive to purchase due to the low demand. This is not, however, a reflection on the quality of the fish once it has been cooked, which is firm and quite similar to cod.
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The grey mullet is comparable to sea bass or sea bream on sight and can often be substituted for sea bass in recipes. It has a torpedo-shaped body that is a bluish silver colour with a silver underside. It actually has larger scales than the sea bass, which naturally must be removed when preparing the fish for cooking.
Found in tropical and temperate waters across the globe, yet extremely plentiful around western coastal areas of the UK, mullet is readily available all over the world, and although not very highly rated in the UK, it is often a prized species in other parts of the world. Many people are put off by the fact that mullet is a bottom feeder, meaning that it roots around and looks for food in muddy waters, which is perhaps what gives this fish its earthy, muddy taste.
Grey mullet is suitable for baking, steaming, grilling or pan-frying and is often partnered with strong, robust flavours that will remove or reduce the strength of its natural muddy flavour. Recipes for grey mullet often contain ingredients such as lemon, garlic, white wine, vinegar, capers and garlic. This fish can be cooked whole, stuffed with lots of delicious herbs and lemon slices and baked in the oven, or cut into fillets and grilled or pan-fried.
The following recipe is simple to prepare. Cleaned and gutted whole mullets are stuffed with thyme, parsley, celery leaves and lemon slices, loosely wrapped in aluminium foil and baked in the oven. Try this recipe with both grey mullet and sea bass and decide which you prefer.
Found in tropical and temperate waters across the globe, yet extremely plentiful around western coastal areas of the UK, mullet is readily available all over the world, and although not very highly rated in the UK, it is often a prized species in other parts of the world. Many people are put off by the fact that mullet is a bottom feeder, meaning that it roots around and looks for food in muddy waters, which is perhaps what gives this fish its earthy, muddy taste.
Grey mullet is suitable for baking, steaming, grilling or pan-frying and is often partnered with strong, robust flavours that will remove or reduce the strength of its natural muddy flavour. Recipes for grey mullet often contain ingredients such as lemon, garlic, white wine, vinegar, capers and garlic. This fish can be cooked whole, stuffed with lots of delicious herbs and lemon slices and baked in the oven, or cut into fillets and grilled or pan-fried.
The following recipe is simple to prepare. Cleaned and gutted whole mullets are stuffed with thyme, parsley, celery leaves and lemon slices, loosely wrapped in aluminium foil and baked in the oven. Try this recipe with both grey mullet and sea bass and decide which you prefer.
Baked Grey Mullet Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) grey mullet, cleaned and gutted
- 2 lemons cut into slices
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- bunch of fresh parsley
- sprig of celery leaves
- 1 tbsp of butter
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Preheat the oven to a temperature of 375°F (190°C).
- Take a large piece of aluminium foil and lightly grease with some olive oil.
- Place some of the lemon slices onto the foil in a diagonal line.
- Separate the parsley leaves from the stalks. Set the leaves aside in a small bowl.
- Chop the parsley and celery leaves and the thyme and mix together with the bay leaves.
- Loosely stuff the belly cavity of the grey mullet with the herbs and add a few lemon slices too.
- Arrange the mullet so that it sits comfortably on top of the row of lemon slices and place the remaining slices on top of the fish.
- Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the reserved parsley leaves over the top of the fish.
- Wrap the sides of the aluminium foil up and around the fish and close at the top.
- Place into the oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes.
- Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the oven and transfer to a serving dish.
- Pour the juices into a small saucepan, add the butter and cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously until thickened.
- Serve the fish and pour over the sauce.
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