Red Mullet Recipe - Delicious Summer Fish Dishes

Looking for a light, delicious lunch that’s ideal for a summer’s day? This simple red mullet recipe is quick to prepare and bursting with fresh flavours.

Red mullet has to be one of my favourite fish, prized for its delicate, slightly sweet flavour with subtle shellfish notes. This comes from its natural diet as a bottom-feeder, feeding on small crustaceans along the seabed - a factor that also gives the fish its distinctive red hue.

A Perfect Summer Lunch with Red Mullet and Sweet Tomatoes

Grilling red mullet is the perfect cooking method. It allows the rich, red-orange fat to render down gently through to the white, flaky flesh while creating beautifully crisp skin.

Pair the fish with fresh, sweet tomatoes for the perfect balance. While any small variety works well, datterini tomatoes are my top choice for their intense flavour and natural sweetness.

Method

1. Begin by making the tapenade. Place all the ingredients in the blender, except for the oil.
2. Pulse while slowly adding the olive oil until you reach the spreading consistent. Check for seasoning and add the lemon juice. Leave to one side.
3. Brush the focaccia with olive oil and toast under the hot grill for 2-3 minutes on either side until golden and crisp.
4. Halve or quarter the tomatoes depending on their size and dress with the vinegar and a touch of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.  
5. To cook the fish, brush the skin with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Place under a hot grill for 3-5 minutes until the skin begins to blister and the fish is just cooked.
6. To plate up, spread a generous amount of tapenade on each piece of focaccia, add the tomatoes and then top with the red mullet fillets.
7. Dress with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.