by Jo Pratt from The Flexible Pescatarian (Quarto)
Photography: Susan Bell
If you’ve a crowd to cook for, then a recipe with minimal preparation and maximum flavour is always a bonus. Wrapping whole salmon and loads of aromatics in newspaper then putting it on the barbecue is such a great way to cook it, resulting in juicy, aromatic fish, which is also guaranteed to impress your guest
Time taken 50-55 minutes
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
2kg/4 lb 7 oz whole salmon, scaled and gutted
sunflower oil, for rubbing
(Nigel used seabass as per Jo's tip below)
3 limes, thinly sliced
100g/3½ oz piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 stalks lemongrass, finely sliced
2 red chillies, deseeded and sliced
4 banana (large) shallots, peeled and sliced
bunch of mint
bunch of coriander
bunch of Thai or standard basil
1 large newspaper & kitchen string for tying
Method
Heat the barbecue or your grill until it’s lovely and hot, or around 240C/475F/Gas 9 if using a thermometer.
Rub the salmon all over with the oil, including the inside. Season and stuff some lime slices, ginger, lemongrass, chillies, shallots and herbs inside the cavity.
Open out the newspaper and place the salmon in the middle. Put the remaining lime slices, ginger, lemongrass, chillies, shallots and herbs over the top and underneath the salmon, then wrap the paper all around the salmon so it is completely covered. Tie securely with string.
Soak the newspaper with plenty of cold water, then lay the parcel on the barbecue or grill. Cook for 20-25 minutes on each side. If the coals are too hot, the paper will burn, so keep an eye on it. You can cover it in foil if necessary.
Once cooked, the salmon will stay hot for at least half an hour before you unwrap and serve it.
Unwrap the salmon and transfer to a platter or present at the table in the paper. Serve pieces of the juicy hot salmon with some cooking juices spooned over.
Tip
You can cook any large round fish in newspaper in this way. Cut down the cooking time if it is smaller fish than the salmon. To check it is cooked through, gently push the fish away from the backbone. If it comes away easily it is done, if not, continue cooking.
Drinks tasted on air alongside the dish.
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