Whole Grilled Fish
A scored whole striped bass stuffed with fresh herbs and lemon, grilled until firm and flaky.
Ingredients
| 1 (2-pound) | whole striped bass, gutted, scaled and trimmed, scored both sides | |
| 1½ tablespoons | 23 ml | olive oil |
| ½ teaspoon | 2.5 ml | kosher salt |
| ¼ teaspoon | 1.3 ml | black pepper |
| 4 sprigs | fresh thyme, divided | |
| 4 sprigs | fresh rosemary | |
| 4 sprigs | fresh lavender (optional) | |
| — | lemon slices | |
| — | lemon rind strips |
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Score the whole striped bass and rub evenly with olive oil. Sprinkle the skin and scored flesh with salt and pepper. Place 4 sprigs each of thyme, rosemary and (if desired) lavender into the cavity. Tuck 3 lemon slices, 1 strip lemon rind and 1 sprig of each herb into each scored slit. Grill 7 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness. (Or place the fish on a baking pan and roast at 425°F for about 25 minutes.)
Scoring whole fish 2. Making incisions through the skin and flesh (scoring) takes the guesswork out of cooking whole fish. 3. Choose the right fish: round fish with an eye on each side of the head — bass, snapper, trout — are ideal. 4. Make deep cuts: use a chef's knife to cut through the flesh at a 45-degree angle down to the bone, scoring 1½ inches apart between the pectoral fin and the tail. 5. Fill with flavour: the deep, angled pockets give a wide area to stuff herbs and season the flesh and skin. 6. Cook to perfection: the scored cuts let heat circulate for quick, even cooking. Check doneness inside a cut at the thickest part — the flesh should be firm, opaque and separate easily from the bone.