Grilled Redfish with Salsa Verde

Ever since I had the whole grilled redfish at Pêche for my birthday in July I have been thinking about doing it if I could get the recipe. Well. In the September/October issue of Louisiana Cookin’, I got my wish. There was the recipe and also an article about the chef who created it.

Chef Ryan Prewitt’s signature dish at Pêche Seafood Grill in New Orleans is simple; take incredibly fresh fish, season it lightly and sear it to perfection in the restaurant’s wood-fired oven. The fish speaks for itself and is brought to its great brightness with the great vinegary sauce.

This straightforward elegance took years to develop and strong relationships to maintain. The idea for Pêche came to Ryan and his partners, chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski, on a trip to Uruguay. They spent time there working with people who were doing open-fire cooking. These people used the whole fish which is more tender and moist than just grilling the fillets.

Ryan focuses on sourcing whole Gulf fish and serving just about every part of the fish. He works closely with fishermen, including one who spearfishes with deep-water oilrigs. Ryan has access to exceptionally fresh specimens, and he makes the best of all of it.

I have been to Pêche many times and it is one of my favorite restaurants. It is fairly new but if you are in New Orleans it will not disappoint.

This fish was not hard to grill even though I had never grilled a whole fish. Ryan said to put a fan on it for 15 minutes or let it stand upright overnight in the refrigerator so that it would dry out. I didn’t really see how I could stand it upright in the refrigerator, but I bought my fresh redfish at Tony’s Seafood in Baton Rouge and put it under a ceiling fan for an hour to let it be completely dry. I made sure the cat was in another area! The redfish was delicious!

Taken from September/October 2014, Louisiana Cookin’.

Whole Grilled Redfish with Salsa Verde

Serves 2  (yes my husband and I ate it all)

1 2 ½  pound whole redfish, cleaned, gilled, and scaled

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Flaked sea salt (optional)

Prepare grill to medium heat (300° to 350°), preferably with wood burned down to coals.

Make 3 evenly spaced deep cuts into each side of fish. Dry fish off thoroughly with a towel, and if possible, let stand in front of a fan for 15 minutes to finish drying. Alternatively, leave the fish standing upright, and refrigerate overnight, uncovered.

Spread olive oil evenly over fish, and season with salt and pepper. Grill until almost completely cooked through on one side, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn fish, and cook until flesh turns white and collar meat is soft, 10 to 15 minutes more. This was perfect timing for our 2 ½ pound fish.

On a serving platter, spread half of Salsa Verde. Place fish on top, and top with remaining Salsa Verde. Garnish with sea salt, if desired.

Salsa Verde

Makes about 2 cups

2 salt-packed anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry

2 garlic cloves

1 shallot, minced

½ cup finely chopped parsley

½ cup chopped fresh mint

½ cup sliced green onion

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ cup red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ to 1 teaspoon mild crushed red pepper

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a mortar, add anchovy and garlic; mash to a paste. In a large bowl, combine anchovy paste, shallot, parsley, mint, green onion, lemon zest and juice, mustard, vinegar, salt, and peppers. Slowly add olive oil while stirring, and stir until combined. Adjust seasoning to taste.

The tasty fish makes quite a show and is easier to do than you might think. Give it a try before you put your grill up for the season.