Grilled Red Mullets with Garlic-Walnut Sauce (in the style of Corfu)

Ingredients

• 4 red mullets or grey mullets, 8 to 10 ounces each, cleaned and gutted, heads on
• Greek extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 fresh lemon, cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 12 large fresh grape leaves, wiped clean
• Bunch fresh parsley, washed
• 4 stems fresh oregano
• Garlic-Walnut Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the grill.

Lightly rub the outside of the mullets with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with lemon juice. Sprinkle the insides of the mullets with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Place 3 grape leaves on a work surface, overlapping slightly. Place several parsley stems and 1 oregano stem in the center. Place the fish on top of the herbs and enclose with the leaves. Secure with toothpicks. Lightly oil the outside of the leaves. Repeat with the remaining leaves, herbs, and fish.

Place the wrapped fish on the grill and cook until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and remove the toothpicks.

To serve, place 1 wrapped fish on each of 4 plates. Slit open the grape leaf package and drizzle with the sauce. Serve with the remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Garlic-Walnut Sauce:

3 home-style slices bread, crusted removed

6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts

2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 cup Greek extra-virgin olive oil

Run the bread under cold running water to saturate. Squeeze dry and crumble into a bowl.

In a food processor, process the garlic with the salt to form a paste, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the walnuts and process until mealy. Add the soaked bread and 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and process. With the machine running, add the oil in a steady stream and process until creamy. (If the mixture is too thick, first adjust, to taste, with vinegar, then add water 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time.)

Adjust the seasoning, to taste, and transfer to a decorative bowl for serving with the grilled fish.