Peixe Grelhado com Molho Verde

Along the seafront botequins of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, whole grilled fish served with a vivid herb sauce is the purest expression of Brazilian coastal cooking. The molho verde — green sauce — varies by cook but always carries the bright perfume of coriander, parsley, and lime.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Fish:

• 1 whole fish such as dourada (gilt-head bream) or robalo (sea bass), 1.2kg (2.6 lb), cleaned and scored
• 3 tbsp (45ml) olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp (5g) coarse salt
• 1/2 tsp (2g) black pepper
• Juice of 1 lime

Molho Verde:

• 30g (1 oz) fresh coriander (cilantro), leaves and tender stems
• 20g (0.7 oz) fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 small fresh green chilli, seeded
• 4 tbsp (60ml) olive oil
• 2 tbsp (30ml) fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp (3g) salt
• 2 tbsp (30ml) water to adjust consistency

Instructions

1. Make the molho verde: Blend coriander, parsley, garlic, chilli, olive oil, lime juice, and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add water to reach a pourable sauce consistency. Taste and adjust salt and lime.
2. Score the fish with 3-4 diagonal cuts on each side, cutting to the bone. Mix olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and lime juice and rub deeply into the scores and cavity.
3. Heat a charcoal grill or gas grill to high. Grill the fish for 8-10 minutes per side, depending on thickness. The skin should char and pull away easily when done.
4. Transfer to a platter and immediately pour half the molho verde over the fish.
5. Serve the remaining sauce on the side with white rice and sliced tomatoes.

Cook's Notes: Scoring the fish deeply is essential — it allows the marinade to penetrate and ensures the thick parts cook through at the same time as the thinner sections. A fish basket makes grilling whole fish much easier. The molho verde also doubles as a fantastic dipping sauce for bread.