Ingredients
The following ingredients have 4 Servings
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 12 small red mullet fillets, skin on and pin-boned
- 300 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ½ cup red wine vinegar (125ml)
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 small red chilli, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp Spanish unsmoked sweet paprika
- For serving: coriander, dill, mint, at-leaf parsley and oregano leaves, roughly chopped
- For serving: crusty bread
Instruction
- Place the cumin seeds in a small frying pan (without any oil) and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Watch them closely as they burn quickly. Grind the roasted cumin seeds to a powder using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, then set aside.
- Combine the flour, chilli powder and 2 tsp salt flakes. Check the fish for any remaining scales, then dust it lightly in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
- Heat a frying pan and add 100ml of the oil. When hot, fry the fish in small batches for 2-3 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Place the cooked fish in a single layer in a small non-reactive dish.
- Combine the garlic, vinegar, bay leaves, thyme, sliced chilli, paprika, cumin, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper and remaining oil in a saucepan and carefully heat over medium heat until almost boiling.
- Remove the hot marinade from the heat and pour it over the fish. Cover with foil and leave to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Remove the fish from the marinade and place on a serving plate. Toss the herbs with enough of the marinating liquid to coat them.
- Serve the fish with the herbs sprinkled over the top and crusty bread on the side.
