Yield: 2 generous portions
Ingredients:
- 1 whole red snapper, sourced from the Gulf of Mexico (gutted and cleaned)
- 1 whole organic baby lemon, thinly sliced and seeds removed
- 3-4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Greek Seasoning from Merchant Spice Co.’s European Collection
- Sea salt, to taste (NOTE: Cyprus sea salt flakes make an excellent choice.)
- Whole sprigs of fresh oregano (or wild-harvested dried sprigs of oregano from the mountains of Greece)
- Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- 2 lemon wedges, for serving, if desired
- 1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves, minced, for garnish
Special equipment:
A fish grilling basket is optional, but desired.
To accompany:
French-fried potatoes are the perfect accompaniment. There is a method to achieving perfectly thin & crispy French fries. First, choose unblemished large russet potatoes. After rinsing, if using a knife, slice the potatoes lengthwise into thin slices, then into thin ‘strings’. A mandolin can also be used and makes easy work of the slicing. Rinse the ‘fries’ in cold water (to remove excess starch), then dry carefully with a linen cloth and place in a dehydrator for an hour or so to dry the potatoes even further. It sounds tedious, but most assuredly results in crispy French fries. You will fry the potatoes twice in olive oil. The first time, fry until ‘almost’ done, then remove to a tray. Fry in batches until your ‘1st’ fry is complete. Then, refry in batches until golden brown.
Preparation:
Coat the fish generously with olive oil, sea salt and Greek seasoning, both inside and out. In the cavity of the fish, place the lemon slices, garlic slices and whole sprigs of fresh oregano. Place the whole red snapper in a well-oiled fish grilling basket (optional, but aids greatly in keeping the fish from sticking to the grates of your grill and in turning the fish over without breaking it while grilling). Grill over a wood fire of olive wood chunks.
Serve with lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley, accompanied by crispy French fries. A Greek white wine makes the perfect beverage of choice.
Opa!
A suggestion for dinner music … Greek folk music …
Merchant Spice Co. 