Refuel

WHOLE CORAL TROUT

Words: Kirianna Poole

"Something magic happens when coral trout is cooked whole over coals,” says Kiwi author and slow travel foodie aficionado Kirianna Poole. “It rewards you with meat that’s soft, smoky and sweet. The skin crisps up beautifully and can almost resemble pork crackling. The cheeks and wings are also incredibly delicious.”

Poole is no stranger to documenting her journey—her aesthetically divine @theslowroad_ Instagram handle has over 170,000 followers—or feeding hungry mouths on the way. (She and husband Lockie travel the globe with three kids aboard.) Her coral trout is a testament to simplicity and succulence.

“The entire experience of cooking and enjoying this fish whole is so good,” she says. “I find it hard to put into words.”

The Recipe

Serves: 4–6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 45-60 min

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5–2.5kg coral trout, gutted, gilled and scaled

• 4 tablespoons of flaky sea salt

• ⅓ cup of extra virgin olive oil, preferably in a spray bottle

• 2 lemons

• Rotisserie skewer and prongs (these are really easy to find at any barbecue store)

• 2 Y-shaped branches (long enough to dig into the sand and ensure the fish is stable, roughly 70cm long)

METHOD

1. Get a campfire going so there’s a nice bed of coals to use. I’ll often use lump charcoal for this meal—about 3 charcoal chimneys full. Meanwhile, set the coral trout aside and bring it to room temperature for about 20 minutes, then pat it dry with a tea towel or paper towel.

2. While the fire and fish are coming up to temperature, dig the Y-shaped branches in the sand near, but not over, the fire, and make sure the Y’s line up about 40cm high and are level.

3. With one prong fitted to the skewer, pierce the fish through the mouth and run it below the spine and out through the tail. It will require some force when exiting the tail. Fit the second prong tightly to secure the fish. Salt the fish generously on each side and pat the salt in.

4. Lay a bed of coals between the Y-shaped branches. You need enough so that you can only hold your hand at fish-cooking height for 2-4 seconds. Adjust coals to maintain this.

5. Place fish on the branches with belly down for first 5 minutes, then turn the fish 90° and repeat every five minutes for 45 to 60 minutes of total cooking time. You might need to manoeuvre the fish so that one of the prong clips is in the Y-shaped branch to keep it from turning itself over. Every time you turn, gently spray the fish with olive oil, and you will start to see the skin bubble and turn golden. That’s a great sign.

6. The fish is cooked when the flesh is pearly white and flaky. If you’ve got a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should read 48°C (118°F). Once it’s cooked, remove it from the heat, take out the skewer and forks and let it rest for 10 minutes.

7. Serve on newspaper (like when we were kids), sitting around a fire with a big squeeze of lemon juice and zucchini salad.

Get your own copy of The Slow Road Cookbook at exploringedenbooks.com