- Main
- Fish
- African
- Middle Eastern
- Grill
- Food processor
Ingredients
For the chermoula
- 1 bunch
cilantro, thick stems trimmed, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup
flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves
garlic, peeled
- 2 tsp
ground cumin
- 1 tsp
sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp
cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tbsp
lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 cup
extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp
kosher salt
For the fish
- 2
whole red snapper (about 1 1/2 lb each), scaled and gutted
- 2 tbsp
extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the grill basket
2 tbsp in step 3, the rest in step 4
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
- 2
lemons, halved crosswise
- 1 tbsp
flaky sea salt, for finishing (optional)
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Pescatarian
Not checked: whole red snapper (about 1 1/2 lb each), scaled and gutted.
Diets guessed by AI from the ingredients, not checked.
Steps
- Step 1
Make the chermoula: put the cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, lemon juice, olive oil and kosher salt in a food processor. Pulse until you have a loose, spoonable paste, scraping the sides once or twice. Scrape half into a small bowl and set it aside for serving.
10 min
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Step 2
Rinse the snapper inside and out and pat very dry with paper towels, inside the cavity too. With a sharp knife, cut 3 diagonal slashes about 1/2 inch deep into the thickest part of each side of each fish, down to the bone.
8 min
- 2 whole red snapper (about 1 1/2 lb each), scaled and gutted
- Step 3
Season the fish all over and inside the cavity with kosher salt and black pepper. Spoon the remaining half of the chermoula into the cavities and rub it into the slashes and over the skin. Rub the outside with the 2 tbsp olive oil.
5 min
- 2 whole red snapper (about 1 1/2 lb each), scaled and gutted
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- Step 4
Heat the grill to medium-high (about 450°F), with the lid down for 10 minutes. Scrub the grates clean, then oil the inside of a hinged fish basket well with olive oil and set the fish in it.
10 min · 450°F
- the rest of the extra-virgin olive oil
- Step 5
Grill the fish, lid closed, for 7 to 9 minutes, until the skin is blistered and lightly charred. Flip the basket and grill another 7 to 9 minutes. The fish is done when the flesh at the slashes is opaque white and pulls easily from the bone (about 135°F at the thickest part).
18 min
- 2 whole red snapper (about 1 1/2 lb each), scaled and gutted
- Step 6
While the fish grills, brush the cut sides of the halved lemons with a little olive oil and lay them cut side down on the grate. Char for 4 to 5 minutes, until deeply browned.
5 min
- 2 lemons
- Step 7
Slide the fish onto a warm platter and rest 5 minutes. Spoon the reserved chermoula over the top, sprinkle with flaky salt, and serve with the charred lemon halves for squeezing.
5 min
- 2 lemons
- 1 tbsp flaky sea salt
Where it’s from
Written by AI from an idea
Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026