Grilled Zander with Apple Salsa

Zander is a lively game fish that can be found in parts of northern Europe.

INGREDIENTS:

Serves two people

1 zander, about 1 ½ lb / 670 g, gutted and scraped

fresh herbs

2 apples

1 small red onion

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon apple juice

3 tablespoon rapeseed (Canola) oil

2 teaspoons fresh tarragon leaves

PREPARATION:

If you cannot find zander, you can substitute with trout or sea bass.

I love grilling, and the more I grill the less I depend on equipment. In this case the fish is grilled directly on the fire. No foil, no roasting rack, I just put a couple of metal oarlocks in the middle of the fire to hold the fish.

Do like this:

Light a fire and let it almost burn out. Make a furrow in the middle and place the fish in it – preferably held up a little, in oarlocks or crumpled foil. Place one of the apples at the end. Grill the fish for 8-10 minutes, until the skin is quite charred and the interior has a core temperature of about 115 degrees F, 45 C. Use a cooking thermometer. Meanwhile, turn the apple around a couple of times, leaving it, too, quite burnt.

Remove the fish and let it rest for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, brush the ash off the baked apple. Remove the core, and chop into small cubes. Peel the fresh apple, de-core and chop. Mix with vinegar, juice, oil, tarragon and salt.

Remove the skin from the fish, simply by pulling it off.