Aegean fish grilled with oil and oregano
A whole rock fish, split, rubbed with oil, sprinkled with oregano and a little salt, grilled over embers and drizzled with wine vinegar as it comes off the fire.
A whole rock fish, split, rubbed with oil, sprinkled with oregano and a little salt, grilled over embers and drizzled with wine vinegar as it comes off the fire.
You who read me, know that the sea is the mother of all living things — I, Thales, hold water to be the principle of all. When the fishermen of Miletus haul in their nets at dawn, I choose the firm-flanked fish, split it, anoint it with oil and lay it on the coals. An herb from our rocks, oregano, a little salt from the saltworks, and a splash of vinegar to awaken the flesh. Do not overcook it: the gift of the sea deserves respect.
- •Whole rock fish (sea bream, red mullet, sargo) — one per diner (heart of the dish)
- •Olive oil — generous (cooking and flavor)
- •Fresh or dried oregano — by hand (aromatic)
- •Sea salt — to taste (seasoning)
- •Wine vinegar — a splash (final acidity)
Aegean fish grilled with oil and oregano
A whole rock fish, split, rubbed with oil, sprinkled with oregano and a little salt, grilled over embers and drizzled with wine vinegar as it comes off the fire.
Why this dish? Miletus is a maritime city open to the Aegean Sea: fresh fish was the opson par excellence, the dish that turned an ordinary meal into a feast. Thales, who is said to have measured the height of the pyramids and predicted an eclipse, lived by this sea from which the Ionians drew their wealth — and their dinner on good days.
You who read me, know that the sea is the mother of all living things — I, Thales, hold water to be the principle of all. When the fishermen of Miletus haul in their nets at dawn, I choose the firm-flanked fish, split it, anoint it with oil and lay it on the coals. An herb from our rocks, oregano, a little salt from the saltworks, and a splash of vinegar to awaken the flesh. Do not overcook it: the gift of the sea deserves respect.
Ingredients (period version)
- Whole rock fish (sea bream, red mullet, sargo) — one per diner (heart of the dish)
- Olive oil — generous (cooking and flavor)
- Fresh or dried oregano — by hand (aromatic)
- Sea salt — to taste (seasoning)
- Wine vinegar — a splash (final acidity)
Ingredients
- Whole sea bream or red mullet, gutted — 1 (approx. 400 g) per person (heart of the dish)
- Extra virgin olive oil — 3 tbsp (cooking and flavor)
- Dried oregano — 1 tbsp (aromatic)
- Sea salt — 1 tsp (seasoning)
- Red wine vinegar — 1 tbsp (final acidity)
- Lemon (optional) — a few wedges (serving)
Method
- Make two or three slashes on each side of the fish. Rub with oil, salt inside and out, and stuff oregano into the belly.
- Preheat a grill or hot embers. Place the fish and let it sear for 5 to 7 minutes without moving, until the skin releases from the grate.
- Carefully flip and grill for another 5 minutes, basting with a little oil.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with oregano and drizzle with vinegar. Serve immediately, with a maza to soak up the juices.
How it was made : For the Greeks, opson referred to anything eaten with the grain; fresh fish was the most prized form, so much so that the word opsophagos ('opson-eater') meant a gourmand. Fish was simply grilled with oil and herbs, vinegar providing a sharp lift before lemon, which was unknown in classical Greek antiquity.
The contemporary twist : Present the fish on a bed of fresh oregano, cracked skin facing up, with a small bowl of oregano-infused oil: the 'philosopher's catch', served facing the sea.
Thales · Charactorium