Grilled Red Mullet on Toast with Tomato Pickle
This recipe can also be made using grey mullet.
Ingredients
4 red mullet fillets (image shows butterflied fish rather than fillets)
2 tsp rapeseed oil
20 cherry tomatoes on the vine
4 thick slices of fresh bread, preferably wholemeal
200g rocket leaves
FOR THE TOMATO PICKLE
1 tsp rapeseed oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
½red chilli, deseeded and chopped
Pinch of saffron strands (optional)
1 lemon, finely grated zest
500g ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
30g brown sugar
75ml red wine vinegar
Method
FOR THE TOMATO PICKLE
Warm 1 tsp of oil in a pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 min. Meanwhile, toast the cumin seeds in a small dry frying pan until fragrant.
Transfer the toasted cumin seeds into the pan with the onion and garlic, then add the chilli, saffron and lemon zest; and cook for 1 min.
Into the same pan, add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 mins. Then add the sugar and wine vinegar and cook for about 20 mins, until the mixture reaches a ‘jammy’ consistency.
FOR THE FISH
Preheat the grill to a med-high heat. Brush the fish skin with 1 tsp oil, place skin-side-up on a grill tray with the cherry tomatoes. Grill for 4 mins or until the fish is just cooked through (flesh should no longer be translucent).
TO SERVE
Toast the bread and place each slice on a warmed plate. Spoon 2 tbsp of tomato pickle onto the toast, and top with the grilled fish and tomatoes. Add the remaining tsp of oil to the grill tray and mix with the fish and tomato juices to make a dressing, then drizzle over the fish. Finish with a handful of rocket leaves and serve.
TOP TIP
Instead of fresh tomatoes, a 400g can of good quality canned tomatoes also works in this pickle. You will need to reduce the amount of sugar to 25g and the red wine vinegar to 60ml.
If you make more pickle than you need, keep the rest in the fridge and use within 4 weeks.
