A Spanish classic cooked with fresh whiting fillets. The Pisto is an unmistakable rich flavoured vegetable stew which is permeated with the fish and light smokey edge when cooked on the bbq like this.

Instructions:

Take the Whiting fillets, roll them lengthways and secure with a cocktail stick. Leave on a plate until they are ready to add to the recipe.

I have cooked the Pisto in a shallow casserole indirectly on the bbq however, the recipe can be cooked in the same way using any wood fired oven. Preheat the bbq or wood fired oven to 180-200°c using your favourite wood or charcoal respectively.

1. Lightly cover the base of the casserole with olive oil and add all the vegetables and garlic and stir, cook for 5-6 minutes. The heat should be low enough to slowly cook the vegetables but not colour them.
2. Add a lid to the casserole to continue to sweat the vegetables and cook them without colour, cook for a further 10-12 minutes until they start to soften.
3. Take the lid off the casserole. Add the passata, cumin and rosemary, allow to come to a simmer.
4. Add stock to slacken the Pisto by eye as it will continue to cook down and thicken over time therefore, it doesn’t want to be too thick at this stage of the cook. Cook lid off for a further 15-20 minutes.
5. At this point the Pisto should have thickened and the vegetables will be very soft but not lost their shape. Add a little stock if necessary and stir.
6. Add the rolled whiting fillets to the top of the Pisto and cook for a further 5 minutes.
7. Turn the fish over to ensure it is evenly cooked and continue for a further 4-5 minutes.
8. If desired, check the internal temperature with an instant read probe thermometer. Depending on your preference you are looking for an internal temperature between 55-62°c in the centre of the rolled fish.
9. Serve in large bowls by placing two-three large spoonsful of the Pisto first then placing Whiting on top. Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and a turn of black pepper to finish.