A guide to barbecuing fish and seafood

The most important thing to remember is that fish should always be cooked at a properly high temperature (don’t be tempted to cook over charcoal that’s not white-hot). Lightly oiling the grill and the skin of the fish will stop it sticking or tearing; use vegetable oil for this and not olive oil, as the latter can cause flare-ups. Take into account the style of grill you plan to use; if the bars are too far apart it may be difficult to cook smaller fillets or shellfish. You can get round this by investing in a ‘fish basket’, which is essentially a pair of racks (usually in the shape of a fish, hinged at the nose) to hold smaller items or whole fish – again, remember to oil it before using. Prawns are easy to manage when threaded on to skewers; remember to soak wooden skewers in water for at least an hour before using on the grill.

Larger fillets of fish are fine for cooking directly on the grill, as their skin and flesh will generally withstand the heat – Salmon fillets are ideal. As before, oil the skin to stop the fillet sticking to the grill; a generous sprinkling of salt will also help prevent the skin sticking or tearing, as well as making it crisp and delicious. Place the fillet skin-side down on the hot grill first, turning it after a couple of minutes. Delicate fillets, like Plaice, can be wrapped in foil with a dash of oil and seasoning, and then placed on the grill; the flesh will effectively cook in its own steam.

Fish can also be barbecued whole, without too much preparation – Mackerel, Trout, Sea Bass and Sardines are ideal candidates for this, to name but a few. If you buy your fish gutted, scaled and cleaned (the Greendale fishmongers will be happy to do this for you) all you need to do is place the lightly-oiled fish in your fish basket or directly on to the hot grill, and cook over the hot coals for about 10 minutes per side (depending on the size of fish). You can add flavour to whole fish by stuffing them with fresh herbs, slices of lemon, garlic cloves or whatever takes your fancy, and use wooden skewers to keep the fish sealed (or just use the fish basket).