When it comes to BBQ season meat is often the star of the show, and with good reason. There’s something about fire and smoke that elevates a cut of meat to new heights. But that doesn’t mean you need to eat heavy meat dishes every time you fire up the grill. This quick and easy dish of fish and vegetables is a great midweek meal.
Recipe
Serves 2. Active time 10 mins. Cook time 15 mins.
Ingredients
2 fillets of white fish such as hake, haddock, coley or cod
A medium sweet potato cut into rounds a couple of centimetres thick (halved if particularly large)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
150g or so of kale, shredded
1 chilli, chopped (optional)
1 medium red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 tablespoons finely chopped or dried herbs, such as oregano and thyme
Good pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 a cup of olive oil
Half a lemon
Method
Get your BBQ up to a medium heat. While it’s heating up add a the oil and the tomato paste, herbs, garlic, chilli, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Add the sweet potato slices and toss to cover and set aside. Add the fish to the bowl and leave to marinade in the oil.
Since the fish and vegetables can be a bit delicate you’ll probably find it easier if your grill has a griddle plate or wide bars, but failing that you can get mats that provide a flat surface over the grill or just use a baking tray or cast iron skillet on top of the grill.
Once the grill is up to heat add the sweet potato slices and fish. Add the half lemon cut side down. Spoon the garlic, chilli and oil over a flat surface on the grill, reserving a little oil in the bowl, and add the onions. Once they’ve browned slightly add the kale and mix them all up. Brush the sweet potato and fish with some oil and flip carefully, the brush or drizzle the rest of the oil over the fish to keep them moist.
Cook for a few minutes longer, moving the kale and onions about a bit if starting to get too dark, until the sweet potato is tender and slightly charred, the kale is wilted and slightly crisp and the fish is cooked through and beginning to flake. Squeeze lemon juice from the charred lemon over it all then serve into warmed plates and tuck in. It should all be reasonably moist and tender but a drizzle of oil and another squeeze of lemon can brighten it up if needed.
A bit of a blether
Nice and easy but good and tasty too. You can do this over charcoal or gas. I often favour charcoal for the flavour it imparts from the smoke but gas allows for a quick cooking time and with something light and fast like fish it doesn’t make too much difference which you use.
This process will work well with most fish and vegetables so feel free to experiment with what you have to hand. You can also prepare the veg on the BBQ in advance and keep them in the fridge or freezer for a taste of the grill when the weather is against you!
Thanks for reading,
Matthew
A Sincere Love of Food 