I used a carpenter, a variety of sea bream, which has firm flesh which is wonderfully succulent if cooked right. It was a rather thick fish so I cooked it for 10 minutes on each side. You could use snoek, yellowtail, geelbek (Cape salmon) or other firm-fleshed fish. If in doubt, ask your fishmonger for advice. They usually know everything about what they’re selling.

This recipe is best served with this column.

Ingredients

1 whole firm-fleshed fish, butterflied (ask a fishmonger to do this)

250 ml apricot jam

50 ml brown vinegar

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

A handful of fresh fennel fronds, finely chopped

Salt to taste

Cooking oil for basting the fish and oiling the grid

Method

Toast the fennel and cumin seeds lightly and crush them.

In a small saucepan, mix together the apricot jam, vinegar and toasted seeds and heat while stirring until the jam has melted. Let it simmer for a few minutes to reduce and thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped fennel fronds. Let it cool to room temperature.

Salt both sides of the fish and oil the skin side well.

Brush the baste generously over the flesh side of the fish. Leave about half of it for basting again when it is cooked.

Oil the inside (what good would oiling the outside do?) of the grid very well, on both sides. Place the whole fish skin-side down on one side, and fold the other down and fasten it closed.

Braai skin-side down first, for 10 minutes. Turn and be watchful while the other side cooks, no more than 10 minutes, probably a little less. Brush the rest of the baste all over the flesh side. Don’t be reticent about eating it. It could get messy. DM/TGIFood

Tony Jackman is the Galliova Food Champion of the Year 2021. His book, foodSTUFF, is now available in the DM Shop. Buy it here.

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