Grilled Red Mullet with Charred Onions and Pine Nuts

A Mediterranean-inspired dish featuring delicate grilled red mullet or snapper served with a sweet-sour agrodolce of charred onions, toasted pine nuts, capers, and raisins. The fish is grilled to perfection and topped with fresh parsley and Aleppo pepper for a bright, flavorful finish.

4 servings

56 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more
•⅓ cup pine nuts
•4 whole small onions, unpeeled
•¼ cup drained capers
•¼ cup raisins
•¼ cup red wine vinegar
•to taste Kosher salt
•8 whole whole red mullets or 4 red snappers, scales removed, cleaned
•1 cup parsley leaves with tender stems
•to taste Aleppo-style or other mild red pepper flakes and lemon wedges (for serving)

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Clean grate well with a brush; oil grate. Toast pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Let cool (that's it for the oven).
5 min
2.
Grill onions, turning occasionally, until skins are blackened and onions have softened (some of the juices may ooze out), 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let cool 10 minutes.
20 min
3.
Split onions in half. Remove outer peel and discard. Separate onion layers into individual petals. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in pine nuts, capers, raisins, and vinegar; season agrodolce with salt.
10 min
4.
Season fish cavity and skin with salt; drizzle with 1/4 cup oil. Grill, resisting the urge to turn, until skin is lightly charred and flesh is flaky and opaque down to the bone, about 3 minutes for mullet and 8 minutes for snapper. Place a metal spatula underneath fish, then lift and gently roll over onto the other side. Cook until flesh is flaky and opaque, 3-8 minutes, depending on fish. If a small knife slides easily through the thickest part of flesh, fish is done.
16 min
5.
Transfer fish to a platter and spoon agrodolce over. Top with parsley and some red pepper flakes; drizzle with oil. Serve with lemon wedges.
5 min

Grilled Red Mullet with Charred Onions and Pine Nuts

4 servings

56 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more

•⅓ cup pine nuts

•4 whole small onions, unpeeled

•¼ cup drained capers

•¼ cup raisins

•¼ cup red wine vinegar

•to taste Kosher salt

•8 whole whole red mullets or 4 red snappers, scales removed, cleaned

•1 cup parsley leaves with tender stems

•to taste Aleppo-style or other mild red pepper flakes and lemon wedges (for serving)

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Clean grate well with a brush; oil grate. Toast pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Let cool (that's it for the oven).

5 min

Grill onions, turning occasionally, until skins are blackened and onions have softened (some of the juices may ooze out), 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let cool 10 minutes.

20 min

Split onions in half. Remove outer peel and discard. Separate onion layers into individual petals. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in pine nuts, capers, raisins, and vinegar; season agrodolce with salt.

10 min

Season fish cavity and skin with salt; drizzle with 1/4 cup oil. Grill, resisting the urge to turn, until skin is lightly charred and flesh is flaky and opaque down to the bone, about 3 minutes for mullet and 8 minutes for snapper. Place a metal spatula underneath fish, then lift and gently roll over onto the other side. Cook until flesh is flaky and opaque, 3-8 minutes, depending on fish. If a small knife slides easily through the thickest part of flesh, fish is done.

16 min

Transfer fish to a platter and spoon agrodolce over. Top with parsley and some red pepper flakes; drizzle with oil. Serve with lemon wedges.

5 min