← All recipes · Species guide: Red Snapper
Greek Islands · Red Snapper

Greek Island Grilled Snapper with Lemon-Oil

Psari sti Skara me Ladolemono

The Mediterranean taverna way: a whole fish grilled over hot coals, then brushed with ladolemono, a simple whisk of olive oil, lemon and wild oregano. Nothing hides the taste of a fresh catch.

  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 20 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy
Photo: AlMare · CC BY-SA 3.0
Served with: Greek Lemon Greens ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the ladolemono

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Fire up the grill. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high. Scrub the grates clean and wipe them with an oiled paper towel.
  2. Prepare the fish. Pat the fish very dry. Cut 2–3 slashes on each side, rub with the coarse salt, tuck the lemon slices and herbs inside and brush all over with olive oil.
  3. Grill. Lay the fish on the grill and leave it alone for 7–9 minutes until it releases on its own. Turn once with a wide spatula and grill 7–9 minutes more, until the meat is white at the bone.
  4. Whisk the ladolemono. Shake or whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper until it turns cloudy and thick. Stir in the parsley.
  5. Serve. Brush the hot fish with some ladolemono and pour the rest over at the table. Serve with horta and crusty bread.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Greece

Greek Lemon Greens

Vrasta Horta

Tender boiled greens dressed warm with olive oil and lemon. Every Greek taverna sets a plate of these next to the grilled fish. In the Caribbean, callaloo or Swiss chard work beautifully.

  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 10 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 2 lb (900 g) leafy greens: dandelion, chicory, Swiss chard, callaloo or spinach
  • 1 tbsp salt, for the water
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • Flaky sea salt to finish

How to make it

  1. Wash well. Wash the greens in plenty of water and trim off any tough stems.
  2. Boil. Bring a big pot of water to a boil with the salt. Cook the greens until tender: 5–10 minutes for chicory or dandelion, 3–4 for chard or callaloo, 1–2 for spinach.
  3. Drain. Drain well and press gently with a spoon to get the extra water out.
  4. Dress warm. Put on a plate while still warm, pour over the olive oil and lemon juice and finish with a pinch of sea salt.

Photo: Sotiria Simota · CC BY-SA 3.0

More ways to cook Red Snapper

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Salinas, Puerto RicoWhole Fried Snapper with Mojito Isleño
Havana, CubaCuban Griddled Snapper with Mojo Criollo
JamaicaJamaican Escovitch Snapper
Andalusia, SpainSalt-Crusted Whole Snapper
Algarve, PortugalAlgarve Oven-Roasted Snapper
New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans Blackened Red Snapper