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I’m thrilled to have found a reliable source of seafood in Toronto, near my home and at fair market prices.

I’ve been enjoying walking into the shop, having a look around at the “catches of day”, surveying what’s freshest and pair that with whatever food mood I’m in.

Porgy is also known as the Gilt-head bream, sea bream, Dentex, Dorada, Daurade, Pargo.

There are about 15 different species of porgy found in the western Atlantic and the Carribbean and about 20 more types exist in the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic.

Porgies get their name from a Native American word meaning “fertilizer, for which they were commonly used.

Most of the Porgy and sea bream that you’ll find at your fish monger will be from a fish farm but don’t let that scare you. They have a firm, succulent white flesh with excellent flavour. Most porgies are sized for 1 portion but at times I’ve seen huge ones…good for two!

Porgy is best cooked whole and once again, I’ve employed my gas grill to turn this fish into seafood manna. You know I like my fish simple, with crisp & clean flavours to complement the fish’s flavour.

Grilling a fish should be kept simple but attention to detail will yield you wonderful and surprising results. Here, I decided to grill three types of citrus….lemon, lime and orange and then I squeezed the warm, mildly sweet juices onto my just grilled fish. Ummmmmm!

Grilled Porgy With a Three Citrus Sauce
(for 2)

2 whole Porgies, scaled and gutted
coarse sea salt
fresh ground pepper
slices lemon, lime and orange
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Herbed Caper Dressing
1 Tbsp. chopped capers
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
wooden skewers (pre-soaked in water)

Pre-heated gas or charcoal grill

  1. If your fish has been sitting in the fridge, allow for it to come back to room temperature before grilling.
  2. Rinse the fish and pat dry (inside & out). Season the inside and outside of the fish with coarse salt and fresh ground pepper. Place your slices of lemon, lime and orange on a skewer and brush with some oil.
  3. In a small jar, add the olive oil, capers, chives and oregano and shake well to emulsify. The capers should make the dressing salty enough but you may adjust seasoning at this time.
  4. Brush the surface of grill to rid it of any prior grilling residue and treat the grill by wiping vegetable oil.
  5. Over high heat, grill your porgies for approx. 5-6 minutes a side and your citrus skewers should only need about 2 minutes a side.
  6. Transfer your porgies to a large plate and spoon the Herbed Caper Dressing over the fish, followed by squeezing the juices of your citrus skewers.

41 Responses

  1. Wow i can small the delicious aroma comming from that plate of grilled fish.
    Love that stewkers with lime and orange too

  2. I had never heard about that kind of fish. I always learn something new on your blog. I need to hang out with people who like fish more. hehehe.

    BTW, thank you for the comment you left on my blog. I really appreciate that :)

  3. I have to make this as soon as possible, orata as it is called here in Italy is so easy to find and your way it must be absolutely wonderful! Bookmarked!

  4. I could just tell by looking, this makes my mouth water, and water, and water, and……
    I wish you were my neighbor!

  5. I think I will “borrow” your skewer detail the next time I barbecue a whole fish Peter. I am not likely to come across any porgy or sea bream here but will find a substitute that is local perhaps:D

  6. Oh Yummmm! That looks so good and I bet it would be great with our local hogfish!

  7. That looks awesome! WOW! I have never heard of this fish before, but the way you prepared it looks really beautiful, Peter!

  8. Happy, the combo of the 3 citrus was wonderful (and colourful).

    Ben, stick around…lots of seafood in this corner and your very welcome, my friend.

    Ilva, that’s good news that it’s widely available in Italy. You’ll enjoy this fish and the citrus is a natural.

    Erik, make me some of that seaweed salad and you get fish from me.

    Heather, did you take time out from the Last Comic Standing to add that zinger?? ;)

    Val, be my guest with the idea…what good are dishes hidden in the recipe box, right?

    Nina, you got it…no shame in using fingers here.

    Maria, your own capers? So fortunate, I’d love to forage in Crete one day.

    Lori Lynn, I used a skewer as an easier way to grill them.

    Judy, hogfish? Does it go “oink”? lol

    Elena, Faggri is wonderful, isn’t it?

    Jenn, try some of the local fish down there…FLA is surrounded by water!

  9. I’ve tried fish with one of the citruses, but never with all 3. It’s an idea for my next fish dish! Thanks!

  10. we’re crossing each other in cyber space! This is a keeper. I agree with you wholeheartedly on the clean fresh falavours. I can just imagine serving it on a platter some warm sunday afternoon, with cool wine and fruits and salads for our french group of friends, who loves fish …how can they then not adore me!
    ronell

  11. Grilled fish seem to be on the menu! Ours is pike mackerel. =)

    Although, it’s been weirdly “cold” here in Vancouver and not grilling weather at all. I think the weather put out all the heat in May and it’s run out now.

  12. Howdy! Long time lurker on your blog and fellow Greek Canadian from Montreal. Your food is amazing! Whenever I have grilled these fish (I call them tsipoures), they always get stuck on the grilling plate or grids, no matter how well I preheat them and how well oiled the fish is. Do you have any suggestions, since your fish skin looks intact and crispy?

  13. Marjie, it’s colourful and it’s a neat new flavour with the 3 citruses combined.

    Johnna, Whole fish is tops!

    Ronell, Greeks and the food of Provence would pair well…vive le poisson!

    TS, apparently BC’s getting another hot summer this year…no more woolly socks and Birkenstocks!

    Marcie, I hope I somehow trigger you to visit Greece again.

    CEF, thanks…it’s my preferred way to enjoy fish.

    Geia sou Anna, Salut Montreal! Tsipoura is a fine fish and if you’d like, email me and I’ll run down the basics to grilling a whole fish, endaxi?

  14. This looks so delicious! And I have noticed your uncooked fish is smiling:) Or, am I going crazy here?:)

  15. PORGIES!!! Ohmigawd, I SO miss that fish! I used to catch them by the dozens off the coast of Long Island. Sadly, nothing like it swims off California.

    And you did this right: Only the largest porgies deserve to meet the fillet knife. Grilled or crispy-fried, they are divine!

  16. Peter,
    Do you have any tips for grilling fish? The pike mackerel turned out pretty okay — that is they were intact when they came out of the grill.

    However, there are times when fish just falls apart on me when grilling. Yours always turn out so beautifully.

    Any tips on how to keep the fish intact?

    TIA.

  17. We love Dorada here!!! And grilling it is a wonderful way to get it in its full flavour symphony! Mmmmmmm. I rather buy it wild, though :D

  18. We’re really glad you have a great source of seafood nearby! You’re fish dishes just kick butt, really they are. We love the way you grill the whole fish, with the head and tail on! That’s how we grill our fish too, just like that! But we don’t grill the beauteous lemon slices like you do. Gotta do what Peter does to his lemons! We wanna be like you!

  19. Didn’t know these other other names for sea-bream – interesting.
    Love the idea of the triple citrus sauce and agree it is usually best to keep things simple when you have a fish as lovely as this.

  20. Tia,

    Here’s what I do when I grill any whole fish on the grill:

    * Brush the grill well to remove any residue from previous grilling
    * Rub the fish with olive or veg. oil and season on the inside and out.
    * Use coarse sea salt on the outside and be generous, you will lose some salt and it (the fish) won’t be salty.
    * Get some paper towels, fold them and dunk them in veg. oil ad rub the grill just before placing the fish on. This will also lubricate your grill.
    * Place your fish on the grill and leave it alone. A Tsipoura should take about 5-6 minutes a side. After you’ve flipped the fish, to test for doneness, pinch the top part (where the dorsal fin is) and yank it. If the bone easily gives away…your fish is done.
    * Dress it with a “ladaolemono” and enjoy!

    Maria, you do love fish…right down to the tail!

    Emiline, crazy-fresh is good!

    Farida, yes, it does look like it’s smirking!

    Nuria, wild-caught is always best & very expensive.

    White Rice Duo, this fish monger’s excellent…I’ll do a write-up on them one day.

    Antonia, that’s just a short list of what’s called internationally but still, same great tasting fish.

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