Gremolata is a magical seasoning that is somehow far more than the sum of its parts: finely chopped parsley, raw garlic and lemon zest (though sometimes other citrus such as lime or grapefruit) are mixed together to create a punchy condiment that’s a true belter of a flavour-bomb. Sprinkle it liberally over oily fish, grilled meat, vegetables (it’s particularly good on fried or roast veg) and even salads (preferably with a few croutons, too).
Try to use only unwaxed organic citrus in your cooking, not least because any extra expense incurred can often be saved by eating the whole ingredient. I always use the zest from citrus fruit, often in place of some of the juice, so stretching its lifespan and getting more for my money. Much the same goes for parsley stalks, which can usually be eaten alongside the leaves, so long as they’re finely chopped or blended, or upcycled into gremolata (thin mint stalks, coriander stalks and other soft herb stalks also work well in this lemon, garlic and herb combo).
Parsley stalk gremolata (with braised fish head)
I first tried gremolata with my mentor Ben Pig, a chef who was once famous in Bridport, Dorset, because he reared pigs in his back garden. We’d often rhapsodise about food all day long, all while cooking and tasting and inventing flavours. The speckled colours of green, white and yellow in gremolata make it a pretty yet powerful garnish that brightens many a dish. It steps up your cooking with only the simplest ingredients, and makes even a plain plate of food sing. It’s best used immediately, but will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Here, I’m serving it with a braised fish head – don’t knock it until you’ve tried it: the meat on the head is some of the most tender and juicy on the entire animal, including the cheeks, collar, neck and tongue.Pick a large fish head – 1kg or more, if possible – so go for something like cod or hake. If you’re lucky, there’ll be some extra neck meat on it, plus if you ask nicely, the fishmonger will often give you fish heads and skeletons for free from their waste bucket.
If your oven is running and you’d like to roast the head in the oven, rather than braise it on the stove, pop it in there until golden brown and do the chef’s knife test to check if it is cooked: this simply involves using the tip of the knife like a temperature probe, to see how hot an ingredient is. Just insert the knife into the deepest part of the fish head, leave for 30-60 seconds, lightly press the knife tip to your lip. If it’s hot, the head is done. And do be careful.
Clean, dry and season your fish head as soon as possible after getting it home, and at least 30 minutes before cooking it, though preferably up to a day before. Remove the gills and clean the fish thoroughly to prevent any blood tainting the flavour, then season, cover and keep in the fridge; this advance seasoning penetrates the flesh more thoroughly and boosts the flavour no end.
I served the fish head and gremolata with a few extra fresh herbs for presentation purposes, plus I knew I was going to make fish stock with the leftovers afterwards. To do the same, put all the leftover head bones and herbs in a large pan, cover with cold water, then add whatever stock vegetables you have to hand, if any (eg, onion, celery, leek tops, carrot). Bring to a gentle simmer, leave to cook for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave to cool. Strain through a sieve into a container or jug, then cover and keep in the fridge for up to five days (or freeze for up to a year).
And if you don’t fancy the idea of fish head, I also like gremolata with pig’s head or cheek, or even sprinkled on to beef brisket. You get the idea: fatty cuts of fish or meat, or fried vegetables, will all benefit from the intoxicatingly clean-tasting parsley, citrus and garlic hit. Mind you, it’s also the sort of condiment you can put on just about anything to up the ante and make something taste wondrous.
Serves 2
For the gremolata
15g parsley stalks
10g lemon zest
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 tsp sea salt
Serving suggestions
Sauteed, grilled or roasted fish, meat, fried or roast vegetables, salad, or soup
For the braised fish head
1-1½kg large fish head (ie hake, cod or wild salmon)
1 small bunch any herbs – a mixture of any of bay leaves, thyme, oregano, sage or rosemary
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
½-1 lemon – even a spent one will do: leftover husks still have bags of flavour
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
75ml white wine (or water)
Finely chop the parsley, garlic and lemon zest for the gremolata, but do so separately so as not to muddy the vibrant colours – aim for about 1mm dice. Toss them all with the salt and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Up to a day ahead of cooking it, ideally, wash the fish head under cold, running water, removing any slime or blood, then carefully cut or snip out the gills (assuming the fishmonger hasn’t done so already) and pat dry with a clean kitchen roll. Season generously with sea salt all over, then stuff the mouth and gills with the herbs, garlic and lemon.
Put a large, heavy-based saucepan or casserole dish on a medium heat for a minute. Meanwhile, drizzle the prepared fish all over with the olive oil and butter, then put in the hot pan, cover and leave to sear for five minutes. When the underside is nicely golden brown in colour and slightly blistered, turn over the head and repeat on the other side. Pour in the white wine, and deglaze the pan by scraping any goodness off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Check that the fish head is cooked through, and if need be, keep cooking a little while longer.
Serve hot with a generous sprinkling of gremolata.
