Barbecue Brill

Some people may not consider large flatfish for the barbecue but with a little care and attention they offer a stunning presentation visually and the highest quality in fish cuisine.  I purchased, from The Good Fish Shop,  2 medium sized Brill ( 600g each) as a meal for 2 people (i.e. 1 each).  Make a few diagonal cuts in the top of each fish and press in 1/2 slice of fresh lemon.  Season with black pepper and drizzle some olive oil on top.  Finally sprinkle some Fennel leaves (the frilly bit) on the top.  Slice one large Fennel bulb longways into discs and place on the preheated barbecue griddle and lay the Brill on top.  The Fennel prevents the Brill from sticking to the barbecue and imparts a wonderful subtle aniseed flavour to the fish.  Place an upturned baking tray on top to contain the heat thereby cooking both sides of the fish at once.  As you do not need to turn the fish over it keeps together and looks stunning on the plate.  I barbecued these Brill in about 20 minutes and they were cooked to perfection with moist, almost translucent flakes of flavoursome fish.


According to the Marine Conservation Society, fisheries for Brill (Scophthalmus rhombus) are poorly managed. Due to lack of data there is no assessment of populations or stock. Choose Brill caught by demersal otter trawl, or static nets rather than beam trawled fish.