Grilled Whole Mackerel With Lemon Oregano And Olives Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat grill to medium-high (if using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill for just 3 or 4 seconds). Using a sharp knife, make a few slashes in skin on both sides of fish. Open fish like a book. Season inside with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil. Thinly slice 1 lemon; arrange lemon and thyme sprigs over 1 side of fish. Close fish, and rub oil all over skin.
• Grill fish until skin is charred on 1 side, about 10 minutes. Carefully turn fish; cover, and cook until flesh inside is opaque, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer fish to a platter, and open like a book. Drizzle with oil and juice from remaining lemon.

Steps:

• Make marinade: In a small bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice, oregano, oil, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Divide marinade between 2 large resealable plastic bags. Place 2 chicken halves in each bag; shake to coat. Let marinate at room temperature 30 minutes, turning bags occasionally.
• Preheat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. Remove chicken from marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken, skin side up, on grill. Cover and cook, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Turn chicken over; cover and cook until well browned, 10 to 15 minutes (an instant-read thermometer should register 175 degrees when inserted into thickest part of meat, avoiding bone). If chicken is browning too quickly, move to cooler parts of grill or turn grill to low heat.
• Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Tent with foil; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place lemon halves on grill, cut side down; cook until slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Cut chicken pieces in half; serve with grilled lemon halves, and, if desired, garnish with oregano sprigs.

Steps:

• Whisk together lemon juice, oregano, garlic, 1/2 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and add oil in a slow stream, whisking.
• Discard excess fat from chicken and season with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper.
• To cook chicken using a charcoal grill:
• Open vents on bottom of grill and on lid. Light a large chimney starter of charcoal briquettes (80 to 100) and pour them evenly over 1 side of bottom rack (you will have a double or triple layer of briquettes).
• When charcoal turns grayish white (15 to 20 minutes) and you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds, sear chicken legs in 3 batches on lightly oiled grill rack over coals, uncovered, turning once, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes total, then transfer as cooked to a tray.
• Put all browned legs on side of grill with no coals underneath and cook, covered with lid, turning occasionally, until just cooked through (flesh will no longer be pink when cut near joint), 15 to 25 minutes more. Transfer legs to bowl with lemon dressing and turn to coat, then transfer to a serving platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil, while cooking breasts.
• Add 15 briquettes evenly to coals and wait until they just light, about 5 minutes. (They will not be grayish white yet but will give off enough heat with other briquettes to maintain correct cooking temperature.)
• Sear chicken breasts, starting with skin sides down, in 2 batches on rack over coals, uncovered, turning once, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes total, then transfer as cooked to tray.
• Put all browned chicken breasts on side of grill with no coals underneath and cook, covered with lid, turning occasionally, until just cooked through (the meat next to the tender, when opened slightly, will be moist but no longer pink), 12 to 15 minutes more. Transfer breasts to bowl with lemon dressing and turn to coat, then transfer to platter with legs.
• Grill lemon slices on rack over coals, uncovered, until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes on each side, and transfer to platter with chicken.
• To cook chicken using a gas grill:
• Preheat all burners on high, then adjust heat to moderately high. Turn off 1 burner and arrange chicken legs on lightly oiled rack above it. Cook, covered with lid, turning legs once, until cooked through, about 40 minutes total. Transfer legs to bowl with lemon dressing and turn to coat, then transfer to a serving platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil, while cooking breasts.
• Cook chicken breasts on rack above unlit burner, covered with lid, turning once, until just cooked through (the meat next to the tender, when opened slightly, will be moist but no longer pink), about 30 minutes total. Transfer breasts to bowl with lemon dressing and turn to coat, then transfer to platter with legs.
• Grill lemon slices on rack over flames, uncovered, until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes on each side, and transfer to platter with chicken.

Steps:

• Make the oil: In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil and lemon zest until you see the first tiny bubble appear on the side of the pan. Immediately turn off heat. You don't want the mixture to simmer.
• Let infuse for at least 20 minutes (and preferably an hour) before using; you do not have to strain it. Oil can be made up to a month in advance. Store in a sealed jar at room temperature.
• When ready to prepare the fish, heat oven to 425 degrees. Place the basil leaves on a rimmed baking dish and arrange fish on top. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper, then drizzle the lemon oil over the fillets. Top with olives. Scatter tomatoes around the pan.
• Roast until the fish is just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes for thin fillets and up to 12 minutes for thick fillets.
• Cut naked lemon into wedges. Serve fish drizzled with more lemon oil, garnished with lemon wedges and torn basil leaves.