Barbequed Snapper With Caper Gremolata

Serves 6
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 20 minutes

To barbeque whole fish directly on a grill, you need a very clean barbeque and plenty of spray oil or you will get a bit of sticking. This will not affect the flavour, but if you want to keep the skin from sticking you can use an oiled tray, tin foil, a fish basket or a layer of woody herbs such as wild fennel stalks or rosemary to keep the fish from directly touching the barbeque.

1 bunch parsley
3 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons drained capers
4 lemons
2 snapper, about 800g each or 1 large snapper, trimmed and descaled
1 small fennel bulb, sliced
Wild fennel or fennel tops
2 tablespoons olive oil
Spray oil

1)Set aside a couple of sprigs of parsley for stuffing the fish.
2)To make the caper gremolata, finely chop the remaining parsley, garlic, and capers and mix in a bowl.
3)Zest 2 of the lemon finely and add to the bowl with a good sprinkle of salt and pepper and set aside.
4)Place the snapper on a plate and make 3 slashes in the skin and through the flesh on both sides.
5)Slice one of the zested lemons and use to stuff the cavity of the fish along with the reserved parsley, fennel slices and fennel tops or wild fennel.
6)Spoon about a third of the gremolata into a separate bowl and mix in the olive oil. Smear over both sides of the fish.
7)Spray your covered barbeque grill well with oil then heat to a medium/high heat.
8)Barbeque the fish, covered for about 8-12 minutes per side, checking in the slashes to see if the flesh is opaque and cooked through.
9)Cut the remaining lemons in half and barbecue alongside your fish until nice and golden.
10)Transfer the fish from the barbeque to a plate and serve scattered with the remaining gremolata and squeeze over the barbequed lemon.