Grilled Fish with Winter Root Slaw

This is the kind of plate you’d see at a small French bistro on a cold night: whole grilled fish set on a tangle of crunchy raw root vegetables, dressed with walnut oil and champagne vinegar. The slaw is the trick. Raw parsnip is sweet, raw celeriac is nutty and herbal, and raw carrot keeps everything bright. Together they build a slaw with more depth than cabbage could ever pull off.

The sea bass cooks fast, so prep the slaw first. Slits cut into the flesh on either side help the fish cook evenly and let salt and oil work their way down to the bone. Five minutes on a hot grill, with a few moves around the grates so the skin doesn’t stick, is all you need.

Filleting after grilling keeps the flesh moist. Run a knife along the top fin and the meat lifts cleanly off the bones. Champagne vinegar is worth the splurge here. Regular white wine vinegar works in a pinch but lacks the same delicate fruit.

Chef Tips

• Toast the walnuts in a dry pan until fragrant. Skip this and the slaw tastes flat.
• Julienne the roots as thin as possible. Thick matchsticks turn woody and dull the dressing.
• Oil the grill grates before the fish hits, not the fish itself. Less smoke, less sticking.
• Dress the slaw 5 minutes before plating so the vinegar has time to soften the roots without wilting them.

Variations

• Swap sea bass for branzino or whole trout. Both fillet just as cleanly.
• Use hazelnuts and hazelnut oil instead of walnuts for a sweeter, more buttery profile.
• Add a few thin shavings of fennel to the slaw for a licorice note that plays well with the fish.