Pan-Fried Red Mullet, Aegean Style

This year we came back from our summer holiday unusually early, so we were back in London by mid-August, which almost never happens.

That’s when I noticed how small the red mullet were at my local fishmonger. They reminded me so much of the little red mullet we eat in seaside meyhanes in the Aegean towns we visit in Turkey.

So for the last couple of weeks, we’ve been recreating those meze tables at home.

This is barely a recipe, which is exactly why I love it. I ask the fishmonger to clean the fish, then simply coat them in flour and salt and fry them until golden. A squeeze of lemon is all they need.

Ingredients

Small red mullet, cleaned

Plain flour

Salt

Oil, for frying

Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. Pat the cleaned fish dry.

2. Mix the flour with a little salt, then lightly coat the fish on both sides.

3. Heat enough oil to cover the base of a frying pan.

4. Fry the fish for around 3 minutes on each side, depending on size, until golden and cooked through.

5. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately with a wedge of lemon.

We usually start with a spread of meze, then bring the fish to the table while it’s still hot, with rakı alongside, just like we do on holiday in Turkey.

Simple, quick, and for me, very much a taste of the Aegean at home.