Amazingly you never hear about Grey Mullet, not on the TV cooking programmes nor is it commonly on the restaurant menus. Even when I landed the fantastic specimen that made this recipe people who saw me catch the fish were questioning my eating it saying it is muddy and not worth the time. I luckily hadn’t listened to the masses and from a child when I used to catch them in nets with my Dad had been eating this fantastic fish. The flesh is rose pink and firm and can only be compared to monkfish in both flavour and texture the fillets are generous and fat and when cooked turns a brilliant and pure white that is similar to the look of Cod.
How to cook Grey Mullet
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to prepare a whole mullet and cook mullet:
Preparation:
Start by scaling the mullet. Using a knife or a scaler, scrape off the scales from the skin of the fish. This will make it easier to clean and cook.
Once scaled, make a shallow cut along the belly of the fish and remove the innards. Rinse the fish thoroughly under cold water to clean out any remaining debris.
Cooking methods:
Grilling: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grill grates to prevent sticking. Place the mullet directly on the grill and cook for about 4-6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fillets. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
Pan-frying: Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil (such as olive oil or vegetable oil) in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Season the mullet fillets with salt and pepper. Place the fillets in the hot pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove from the pan when cooked through.
Baking: Preheat your oven to around 375°F (190°C). Place the mullet fillets in a greased baking dish or on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily.
Serving:
Once cooked, you can squeeze some lemon juice over the mullet fillets for a refreshing citrus flavor. Garnish with fresh herbs, such as parsley or dill, if desired.
Mullet pairs well with a variety of side dishes like roasted vegetables, rice, or a fresh salad.
Remember, cooking times may vary depending on the size and thickness of the mullet fillets. It's essential to monitor the fish closely while cooking to avoid overcooking. Enjoy your deliciously prepared mullet!
Catch your own Grey Mullet with one of these great Sea Fishing Kits.
Fillet of Grey Mullet with Wild Fennel Potatoes and Sea Vegetables Recipe
Currently Mullet is underrated and the cost of this fish is equal to its demand.. Low, so if you don’t fish go out and buy it, if you do fish you’ll probably have to buy it too as it took me 15 separate trips to bag this one fish!! ... This recipe is my favourite way of cooking it.
Serves two!
Ingredients:
4 portions of Grey Mullet Fillet
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves chopped
100g about three thick slices of stale bread
1 Lemon, plus wedges to serve
16 – 20 Small New Potatoes
Assorted Sea Vegetables (Marsh Samphire, Sea Purslane and Sea Spinach leaves)
Tbsp Butter
Olive Oil
Maldon Salt
Black Pepper
Heat the oven to 225 degrees.
This is a really easy dish to make! I used a metal frying pan (Ovenproof dish that you can put on the hob will do) a Saucepan to boil the potatoes in and a separate frying pan for the sea greens!
Firstly the fish, in the metal frying pan place some Olive Oil, place the Grey Mullet in skin side down and get a heat under them. We are going to cook the fish for just three minutes, what we are trying to do is start the skin crisping but not cook the fish to much press the Mullet fillets down to stop them curling and keep flat.
Whilst the Grey Mullet is cooking. In a food processor place the slices of stale bread (broken up), add the Rosemary and the Zest of your Lemon with some seasoning. Blend until a chunky even crumb is reached. Then add a little Olive Oil and blitz again to mix.
Now the fish has been cooking for three minutes, turn off the heat and using a spoon generously spoon you crumb mix on top of the fillets taking time to press the crumb down and cover each filet with a nice pile of the herby lemon crumbs. When complete place in the oven for 12 minutes until the fish is cooked and the crumb golden and toasted.
Meanwhile take your saucepan, add some water (boiled from the kettle), salt the water and add your new potatoes (make sure they are all even in size) – the potatoes will take 12 minutes.
Now prepare your sea vegetables. I used Sea Purslane (take all of the leaves off the stems), Marsh Samphire (remove the tough bottom sections of the Samphire) and Sea Spinach (select only the best leaves and cut the large ones in two, down the stem). 3 minutes before everything is going to be ready place the veggies in a frying pan with the butter, a little more Olive Oil, seasoning and a splash of water. Cook the sea vegetables on a high heat for 3 minutes moving them in the pan the whole time. At the end of cooking squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the veggies and mix well.
find your own Sea Vegetables with this great selection of Wild Food and Foraging Books.
The final job before plating is to simply chop your Wild Fennel fronds and add them to your now cooked and drained potatoes, add the Wild Fennel fronds, a good glug of Olive Oil, seasoning and stir in.
Now to plate up.
On two warm plates serve the fish piling any crumb that has fallen off the fish back on to the top of each fillet. Add the potatoes as a neat pile and then the veg making sure that you spoon the juices from the sea vegetables all over the vegetables and potatoes – make sure you don’t forget your lemon wedges - serve immediately.
Grey Mullet is lovely. The plump and generous fillets are meaty, firm and flavorsome. The Lemon and Rosemary bread crumbs add crunch to the soft fish and the vegetables, well if you love Sea Vegetables such as Samphire you are going to love this dish!!
Another underrated fish in another great recipe.. With this one though, let’s not tell anyone how good Grey Mullet tastes, the last thing we want is everyone to start buying it and send the prices up like the beloved Monkfish!
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