Best Whole Grilled Parrot Fish Recipes

GRILLED WHOLE FISH, GREEK-STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium-high.
• Rinse the fish well under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Season the fish all over inside and out with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brush each fish generously with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil and place directly on the grill. Cook, turning occasionally and coating with more olive oil if necessary, until flesh flakes easily and fish is cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Place fish on a platter. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine remaining olive oil with the lemon juice, parsley, and oregano. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve fish drizzled with the olive oil-lemon mixture.

GRILLED WHOLE FISH

Steps:

• Preheat grill for direct-heat grilling over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, drizzle cavity of each fish with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season generously with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Aromatics help keep whole fish moist while grilling. Stuff 1 fish cavity with lemon slices and dill and the other with lime slices, basil, and Thai chiles. If using just 1 filling, double amounts called for.
• Fasten each opening with a wooden skewer or toothpicks that have been soaked in water so they don't burn. This keeps the aromatics inside and also makes fish easier to handle on the grill.
• Using a paring knife, make long, 1/4-inch-deep diagonal slashes at 2-inch intervals on both sides of fish so they cook evenly throughout. This also allows any seasonings on skin (see step 5) to penetrate.
• Rub both sides of each fish with remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper, working all into slashes as well as heads and tails -- both are edible, and the tail becomes delightfully crisp when grilled.
• Brush hot grill with vegetable oil; immediately place fish on grill. Cook, undisturbed and uncovered, until undersides are charred and flesh along gills on undersides turns opaque, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Turn fish with 2 large spatulas. If they stick, wait a few seconds until skin sears enough to release cleanly. Grill on other side until charred and fish are just cooked through and opaque, 5 to 7 minutes more.
• Serve fish with lemon and lime wedges and more herbs. To serve, cut fillet free from top side of fish and remove with a spatula. Remove bones to free other fillet.

GRILLED PANCETTA WRAPPED WHOLE FISH WITH FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• Rinse fish and pat dry. Season to taste inside and out. Place fresh herbs inside cavity of fish. Lightly oil both sides of fish. Wrap seasoned, oiled fish with pancetta that is thinly sliced and unrolled. Wrap fish loosely with the pancetta leaving head and tail exposed.
• Set fish in center of cooking grate. Cover grill. Cook until opaque, but still moist in thickest part (10 to 15 minutes). Turn once during cooking. Remove from grill. Peel off top layer of skin. Slide fish onto platter. To serve slide a wide metal spatula between flesh and bones, and lift out each portion.

WHOLE GRILLED FIESTA FISH

Steps:

• Add the cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, orange zest, lime zest, lemon zest, grapefruit zest, orange juice, oil, lime juice, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, agave, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 tablespoon pepper to a large re-sealable plastic bag and mix well.
• Add the fish and turn to coat, allowing the marinade to get inside the fish as well. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes, flip over and refrigerate 15 minutes more.
• Preheat the grill to a low heat setting. Using a paper towel, rub the grill grates liberally with the canola oil 7 to 10 times.
• Remove the fish from the marinade and stuff the cavity with the lemon slices, if using, and a couple tablespoons of the marinade and place on the hot grill. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, carefully turn over using a fish spatula and cook for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until the fish is flaky.
• While the fish is cooking, place the lemon halves cut-side down on the grill until lightly charred.
• Remove from the grill and cut the meat from the bones. Serve the fish with grilled lemons squeezed over top.

WHOLE GRILLED BLUEFISH

Steps:

• Place bluefish in a shallow pan and pour the wine over the fish. Rub the fish well with the wine and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove the fish from the wine. Place whole thyme, lemon slices and garlic into the belly of the fish. Rub the fish all over with olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Place the fish on a grill over medium heat. Grill for about 10 minutes per side, or until the flesh is no longer translucent.