Mallmann on Fire by Francis Mallmann & Peter Kaminsky

Author:Francis Mallmann & Peter Kaminsky [Mallmann, Francis]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Artisan
Published: 2014-09-23T00:00:00+00:00

Grilled Whole Fish Stuffed with Fennel

I love grilling whole fish after slashing the sides and stuffing the slashes with flavorful herbs, vegetables, ham, or anything else that adds contrasting flavor and texture. I adore the undisciplined look of fish done this way as it sits on the grill. Here the fennel, with its light hint of licorice, complements the fish without dominating it. The fennel within the fish steams while the outside chars for contrast: two tastes from the same ingredient. Any torpedo-shaped fish, such as snapper, small bluefish, weakfish, or sea trout, works well with this technique, though you will have to play with the grill timing according to the size of the fish.

I had never grilled dressed greens until I created these for Alice Waters, when I cooked with my fires at Chez Panisse. I was inspired by the beauty of the fresh kale, and I wanted to grill it very fast so that it charred but remained crunchy, a textural contrast to the sweet softness of the grilled eggplant. The light char unites the two vegetables.

The eggplants should be thin, no more than 2½ inches in diameter. If they are thicker, they will take a very long time to cook. Look for small Italian or Asian varieties. And the heat should be medium to medium-low, depending on thickness—the thicker the eggplant, the lower the heat—or they will burn before they are cooked through. The kale is kneaded slightly to tenderize it. SERVES 4

FOR THE EGGPLANTS

4 small, narrow eggplants, about 8 ounces each

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 elephant garlic clove (or 2 large regular garlic cloves), minced

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 small bunch curly kale, stems and tough center ribs removed, torn into bite-sized pieces

1 bunch Tuscan (black) kale, tough stems removed

FOR THE FISH

4 small whole fish, such as branzino or snapper, about 1 pound each, cleaned

About ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and sliced very thin on a mandoline

1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped

To make the eggplant, cut them lengthwise almost in half to butterfly them, keeping them attached in the middle. Open them up and lightly score the cut sides with a sharp knife.

Heat a charcoal grill or two ridged cast-iron grill pans over medium heat. Brush the grill or pans generously with olive oil. Set the opened eggplants skin side down on the grill, press them down slightly with a spatula, and let them cook slowly for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on their thickness, until they are softened and nicely charred on the bottom. Brush the cut sides generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush the grill with more oil, turn the eggplants cut side down, and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until they are nicely marked and very tender. Transfer to a platter, opened skin side down.

While the eggplant is grilling, start the fish: Make diagonal slashes on both sides of each fish, about ¾ inch apart.

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