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Fish, Maghreb and Middle East

Grilled sea bass with mechouia salad

Grilled sea bass with mechouia salad is a Tunisian dish for 4 people, ready in 60 minutes, medium difficulty, about €5.20 per person. The secret lies in grilling the vegetables until the skin blackens for real, then hand chopping them to keep some bite. The whole sea bass, stuffed with thyme and lemon, grills alongside it.

A whole grilled sea bass with lemon, served with a smoky mechouia salad of grilled peppers and tomatoes, a Tunisian summer classic.

Grilled sea bass with mechouia salad
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€5.20
Calories per person
760 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Mechouia starts with a smell, the peppers and tomatoes blackening under the broiler before releasing a smoky, sweet pulp. Hand chopped with raw garlic and seasoned with cumin, it keeps some bite instead of turning into a smooth puree. The green chili adds just enough heat without overwhelming the dish.

The whole grilled sea bass, scented with thyme and lemon tucked into the cavity, has firm flesh that flakes easily at the tip of a knife. It's a summer dish for a lazy Sunday when you have time to watch the grill, or for having friends over without much fuss. Kids generally love whole fish, especially with bread for mopping up the juices.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Sea bass (about 600 g each) 2

Fruits and vegetables

  • Lemon 2
  • Thyme 4 sprigs
  • Red and green peppers 4
  • Tomatoes 4
  • Green chili peppers 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves

Pantry

  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Ground cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Lemon juiceoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Country bread 4 slices

Allergens Fish, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Place the peppers, tomatoes, and chili peppers under the oven broiler, turning them until the skin blackens. 25 min

    Seal the hot peppers in a plastic bag for ten minutes, the skin will come off on its own.

  2. Peel the vegetables and finely chop them by hand with the garlic, then season with the oil, cumin, lemon juice, and salt.

    Chop by hand, not in a food processor, so the mechouia keeps its texture.

  3. Make small cuts in the sea bass, slip thyme and a lemon slice into the cavity, season with salt and pepper, and brush with oil.

    Cut on a diagonal, the heat gets in better and the skin won't tear.

  4. Grill the sea bass under the oven broiler or on the barbecue, turning halfway through cooking. 20 min

    The fish is done when the flesh flakes easily near the bone at the tip of a knife.

  5. Serve the whole sea bass with lemon, the mechouia, and the bread.

    Drizzle the fish with a little raw olive oil right out of the oven, it shines and smells amazing.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick peppers and tomatoes that feel heavy and firm, they release less water and keep the mechouia concentrated in flavor.
  • Make the mechouia first, it can sit while the fish grills, the flavors actually come together better once it's had time to rest.
  • If you don't have an oven broiler, a charcoal grill gives an even smokier flavor to both the vegetables and the fish.

The variations

  • Swap the sea bass for a whole bream or mackerel, the cooking time stays about the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, serve the mechouia with hard boiled eggs and tuna instead of the grilled fish.
  • For kids in a hurry, fillet the sea bass before serving and offer the mechouia on the side for anyone who prefers it without chili.

What to serve it with

  • Grilled country bread
  • Mint tea
  • Extra lemon wedges

Storage

Mechouia keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and its flavor actually improves the next day. The grilled sea bass keeps for 1 day, best eaten cold or gently reheated in a pan. Mechouia freezes well, but the cooked fish does not.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the mechouia ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually recommended. Make the mechouia the day before, it improves in the fridge, so all you need to do is grill the fish on the day.

How do you know when the sea bass is cooked through?

Slip a knife tip near the center bone, the flesh should flake easily and look opaque. Plan on about 20 minutes under the broiler, flipping the fish halfway through.

Can you leave out the green chili if you don't like heat?

Yes, remove the seeds from the chili or swap it for an extra half green pepper. The smoky flavor of the mechouia still comes through without the heat.

Why chop the vegetables by hand instead of using a food processor?

A food processor turns the mechouia into a smooth puree and ruins its signature texture. Chopping by hand leaves small pieces that keep some bite.

How long does it take to make a grilled sea bass with mechouia salad?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a grilled sea bass with mechouia salad?

About 760 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a grilled sea bass with mechouia salad cost?

About €5.20 per serving, or €20.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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