grey mullet recipe

Breaded grey mullet & tomato salsa

By ClareC | September 22, 2021 |

Ingredients

  • 4 grey mullet fillets
  • 3-4 tablespoons plain flour
  • 1 medium egg, lightly beaten
  • About 100g fine, fresh breadcrumbs
  • A pinch of cayenne pepper or hot smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon very finely chopped thyme
  • Sunflower or groundnut oil for frying
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the tomato salsa:

  • 500g ripe and tasty tomatoes, diced
  • 1 shallot or 1/2 small red onion, very finely diced
  • 1-2 tablespoons tiny capers, rinsed
  • A small squeeze of lemon juice
  • 2-3 tablespoons rapeseed or extra virgin olive oil
  • A tiny pinch of sugar
  • A few mint leaves, finely chopped

Method

For the tomato salsa, combine the tomatoes, shallot or onion, and capers, if using, in a bowl. Whisk the lemon juice and oil together in a small jug, season well with salt and pepper and add the sugar. As to the salsa with the chopped mint and toss lightly; set aside.

If you prefer your fish skin-free, use a sharp knife – ideally a filleting knife – to slice the fillets neatly off their skin.

Put the flour on a plate and season it well. Pour the beaten egg into a shallow dish. Put the breadcrumbs on another plate and season them with a little salt and a pinch of cayenne or paprika, or the thyme leaves, if you like.

Dip each fillet first in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess, then in the egg until lightly coated, and finally in the seasoned breadcrumbs, patting them on so they form an even layer all over.

Heat a layer of oil, 1.5-2cm deep, in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. To test whether it is hot enough, throw in a few breadcrumbs; they should immediately ‘fizz’ and bubble vigorously in the oil.

Put the crumbed fillets into the pan (you might need to cook them in 2 batches). Fry for 2-3 minutes, resisting the urge to move the fish until the breadcrumbs are crisp and crunchy underneath. Carefully turn the fillets over and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.

Serve the fish immediately, with the tomato salsa.

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