The nights are getting shorter but there is still a bit of warmth in the air and we’re not ready to put the barbecue away yet. These plaice were delivered in our subscription fish box and they were super simple to cook over hot coals.
Wine Suggestion: Albariño is often filling our glass when there’s seafood or fish at the moment. Tonight Pazo de Señorans Colección from 2022, which has had a little time to settle in and develop. These wines can last decades but we’ve not yet developed the patience. Stonefruit and quince plus lovely layers of a salty mineral freshness with a hint of quinine. A precise and complex wine.
Barbecued plaice with herb butter – serves 2
- 2 whole plaice
- olive oil
- 1 tbsp sea salt flakes
FOR THE HERB BUTTER:
- 100g slightly softened butter
- 25g soft green herbs (we used parsley and tarragon)
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
Put the fish on a rack over a tray and leave uncovered in the fridge to dry for a few hours.
Mash the butter with the herbs, garlic and salt and pepper. Use a piece of greaseproof paper to roll it into a log and leave in the fridge.
Light your barbecue for hot direct grilling. Heat a fish cage over the fire.
Take the fish out of the fridge and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt on both sides.
Lift the hot cage off the barbecue and add the fish. Rest the fish cage on the grill bars over the fire and cook for a few minutes on each side. The skin should be lightly blistered and the internal temperature of the fish should reach 55C. Remove the cage from the grill and release the fish, sliding onto a warm platter.
Cut the butter into slices and dot over the fish, then cover loosely with foil. Leave to rest in a warm place for about 10 minutes or until the fish hits 60C.
(Original recipe from Scorched by Genevieve Taylor, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2024)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 