WOOD-FIRED WHOLE SNAPPER WITH PEPPERONATA & WICKED GARLIC AIOLI

For me, cooking over embers or coals is the best possible way of preparing anything to eat, whether it’s meat, fish, or vegetables.

I used my Engel fire to cook this snapper, however an open kettle or barbecue will do the job.

INGREDIENTS

1 x 2kg whole snapper, scaled, gutted,

fins trimmed

2 limes

100g baby fennel bulb tips

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp flaky sea salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper 1kg baby potatoes, cooked until tender 120g fresh watercress pepperonata, recipe at right aioli, recipe on page 39

METHOD

1

Make the pepperonata (see recipe at right) and aioli (see page 39). 2 Score the skin of the snapper. Cut the limes in half and rub over the skin. 3 Squeeze the juice into the slits you’ve made in the skin, then stuff the limes and the fennel tips into the body cavity. 4 Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 5

Place on the grill over the embers. Cook on one side for 10 minutes before turning to finish the other side for a further 5 minutes (depending on fish size). 6

To serve, carefully transfer the snapper to a serving platter and spoon the pepperonata over the top. Serve with baby potatoes, watercress, and aioli.

MICHAEL'S AIOLI HAS AN UNEXPECTED INGREDIENT THAT MAKES IT SUPBERB