Florence Fabricant's Grilled Orata and Onions

The story of my summer vacation:

One girl, one grill, several pounds of costoluto tomatoes and a tableful of happy eaters, contentedly rubbing crusty grilled bread with cloves of garlic, papery shreds falling away hither and thither, then squashing the herbed, bubbling tomatoes into the crumb, with a drizzle of olive oil on top for good measure. One of my friends visiting from England had a notebook by the ready at each meal: "How do you make this (jam crostata)?" "And this (fresh tomato sauce)?" "And that (bandiera, the Italian version of ratatouille)?" But for this treat, there is no recipe. Just good ingredients and some hot coals. We could have eaten the blistered tomatoes every day.

In return for our recipes, they gave us their expertise with fire. Ian, my Scottish friend, manned the grill ably while he was there, taming the flames just so, dousing with beer when the coals required it, keeping us flush with wine and good humor. We bought plump orata at the market in Urbino on Saturday morning, from a fishmonger uncommonly happy to see us, I thought, until I realized hours later that I'd forgotten to ask her to clean the fish. That's why she was so happy, I thought. An easy sale.

Florence Fabricant, always uncannily on my recipe wavelength, provided the recipe: grilled onions and fresh thyme stuffed into a gutted, oiled fish, which was then grilled until flaky over hot coals. We grilled in the semi-dark, sun long gone, citronella candles providing light and scent and protection against marauding mosquitos, drunk on us. The fish was delicious, the herby onions even more so, the lemon dressing on top a must. We prepared more fish than we thought necessary and ate almost all of it, with just one little fillet remaining. It went to the cats.

I was going to post a whole lot of photos again, as I do each time I travel, but there was something about this trip that nagged at me, something about the unhappiness and hopelessness in the people I spoke to about the political situation in Italy that left me feeling a little sad and angry, too. Italy has so much physical beauty, and you could surely stare at images of its old stone houses and rolling hills until your hair went gray. But the truth is that there is a lot of ugliness hidden behind that picturesque scenery. A lot of ignorance and racism and shortsightedness and intolerance. That country is slipping rather tragically, in so many different ways, and it is a shame, or worse, that not more people in Italy and outside of it are aware of what is actually happening there, what is being lost.

I came back to Queens today, grateful for the throngs of people around me in the streets, in the stores, the languages around me building another veritable tower of Babel; faces smiling, frowning, simply being - black, white, Hispanic, Chinese, Korean, Bukharian, South Indian, Polish, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Orthodox Jewish, and little half-It-with-a-German-American-soul-me.

I know no place is perfect. But this American experiment, this incredible city, just fills me up with pride. Some days it practically brings tears to my eyes.

(Of course I took pictures, though. I practically slept with the camera under my pillow. Photos here.)

Grilled Orata and Onions
Serves 4

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for grill
2 whole orata or porgies, 2 pounds each, cleaned
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium-large onions, in slices 1/2-inch thick
6 sprigs fresh thyme
Juice of 1 lemon

1. Heat grill to very hot. Oil the grates. While grill heats, use 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to rub fish inside and out. Season generously with salt and pepper inside and out.

2. Using a grill pan, sear onion slices until lightly charred on grill, or cook them in a dry skillet on top of stove. Stuff fish cavities with onions and thyme. Grill both fish close to source of heat, turning once, until skin is nicely charred and fish are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes a side, depending on heat of grill. While fish are grilling, mix lemon juice with remaining oil.

3. Transfer both fish to large platter or board. Remove onions and thyme and set aside. Fillet fish by first cutting along the top and bottom edges and just below the head. Lift off top fillet and place on serving dish. Remove skeleton, head and tail. Transfer bottom fillet to platter. Repeat with second fish and arrange on platter. Scatter onions and thyme over fillets and drizzle with lemon oil. Serve.

Comments

[mon ami]

looks like your camera is making up for lost time;)

your post is as beautiful (and insightful) as ever

xox

[Zoomie]

I'm sorry to hear about the changes in Italy and I know what you mean about the pride in our own way - we have lots of flaws but acceptance and tolerance are two of our strengths.

[jana]

you're right about italy, and i like how you put it. your writing is always so good.

[Drew]

Welcome back. Your photos from Italy are beautiful and hopefully the light and beauty in them is what will once again bring hope and happiness to the Italians.

[Sylvie]

Look at those! Simply beautiful.

[Kitchen Butterfly]

Welcome back. Way to go - notebooks by the dinner table, better that soft serviettes :-) Love fish. Love fish. Love Italy.

[The Blushing Hostess]

Oh, this sounds and looks dreamy. Did my invite get lost in the mail again? :)

[radish]

welcome back! this way to cook fish is my favorite from childhood. so simple. so amazing. your thoughts on italy made me remember my trip to russia a few years ago - i came back and was so giddy with my love for new york (for the same reasons) i wanted to open my arms wide and just give it a big, enveloping hug. your pictures are lovely (and I also want that cat).

[TheKitchenWitch]

Good to have you back, Luisa! I cannot wait to hear every little morsel you have to share!

[lo]

great photos from italy.. love the little cat face hidden in the branches. . .

[Lisa (dinner party)]

Welcome back. I hope you had a nice time, in spite of all that's going on.

[twitter.com/chinese_recipes]

Hm... I love to see how you handle the fish :)

Btw I pray for the peace of Italy and the Whole World.

I hope we all learn from history that hatred and racism will never bring anything than destruction...

http://original-chinese-recipes.blogspot.com

[Christine]

That is a lovely recipe for fish and one I hope to put to good use before grilling weather is behind us for months and months.

And while I love Italy, something about coming back after a long trip there always makes me want to kiss the U.S. soil.

[evy]

So lovely to see your beautiful photos once again! Almost if not as good as your recipe sharing---

[molly]

Beer + fish + grill put together in various ways (beer on fish, beer on grill, etc.) seems to always result in delightful dining. So happy you're making up for lost time with the camera. :)

[The Leftoverist]

I just love this post. I've been getting so frustrated lately with how ugly the healthcare debate's been getting, worried about folks who are still suffering and uninsured. Our country is not without its problems, but it IS an amazing place. I'm happy to be reminded of that here.

[dancing kitchen]

I'm glad you're back.

[used forklifts]

You have cooked it really nice. The color is just right and not that burnt. Grilled fish is one of my favorites. This is absolutely heavenly.

[carrieitly]

Your insight on Italy is sadly spot on. Just about no one, Italian or otherwise knows or acknowledges the problems- it's as if they're blinded by the country's beauty. Italy's got a knack for tearing itself apart, time and agian.

Thank you for the orata recipe... it's on sale everywhere here and since I've never had it, I've been looking for prep ideas. Can't wait to try this out!

-C. in Italy

[elizabeth]

Grilled whole fish is a delightful thing, no? But your description of the tomatoes is what's really making my mouth water...

[Chelsea]

There is nothing like travel to make you appreciate your own community. At least you ate very well. Sometimes that's all you can ask for...

There is something so satisfying about whole grilled fish. Really lovely.

[Kathleen]

So if you don't mind me asking...what exactly is the story in Italy these days? (And I'm assuming you took more photos than what you've posted...I loved them and hope you post more!)

Grazie!

:)
Kathleen

[Figtreeapps]

Im drooling over your photos again!Figtreeapps

[Rebecca]

Thanks for your wonderful and insightful post, your breathtaking photos and as always, outhwatering recipe.

[kathleen]

Luisa, you write so beautifully, you transport us right around the globe with your vivid descriptions. I am sorry to hear about the intolerance in Italy and even more so, the ignorance of it. Thanks for sharing your stories, your recipes, your self. kathleen

[Amrita]

The char on the fish looks so yummy! Beautiful photos!

[Sues]

This post is SO beautiful! And I bet they were delicious too :)

[jen]

Beautiful writing as always. I've gotta say, whole fish completely freak me out. Always have, probably always will!

[Luisa]

Kathleen - it's tough to sum up in a blog comment. And maybe my readers can chime in? But I'd direct you to these links for some general information:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-italy-qa11-2009sep11,0,5652315.story

http://www.geoffandrews.net/articles/2009/07/berlusconis-scandal-italys-tragedy.shtml

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jun/29/italy

[Eralda]

There's nothing better than fresh grilled fish, even if one has to clean it by oneself. I usually rely on my dad, who is happy to oblige. :) sounds like a great vaccation despite the negative aspects of political life.

[rachel]

I think I could live on blistered tomatoes given enough bread, oil and basil (to appease the need for greens)...I often do.

I am having a bit of a hard time in Italy at the moment, you can feel the dissatisfaction hanging in the air, the hopelessness. The absurdity of the people in charge and the people who vote for them is just depressing....I know alot of people who want/need to leave. My discomfort is even more pronounced after some time back in London which despite all it's problems felt dynamic and messy but hopeful.

I will stay in Rome because it's my home now and It feels right to be here, but it's not easy at the moment.

Thankyou for another introduction to Florence Fabricant by the way.

[Furniture removalists]

Your recipes here on your blog are creative and inventive and I like that. You always discover new things in cooking. Thanks for always posting.

[food handling certificate]

I love the look of the grilled fish. It looks very tasty and appetizing!

[Shmii]

Your fish looks amazing! But I don't think I've come across Orata in England. It looks similar to a sea bass or bream so perhaps it's similar in taste?
Have fun with the new camera! I'm about to go and splurge on one myself as my compact isn't quite cutting it.