Dentex

Denté

What it is

It is named for its teeth: four large canines at the front of each jaw, the equipment of a hunter that chases fish rather than grazing the bottom like the bream it resembles. It is reported to begin life female and turn male with size, so the big ones on the slab are almost all males.

In the kitchen

The flesh is firm enough for a salt crust: whole in damp coarse salt at 200 °C, about twelve minutes per 500 g, then crack the crust and lift the skin away with it. Under a kilo, grill it instead - the crust needs mass to work.

Goes with

Fennel Lemon Olive oil Thyme Salt Tomato Taggiasca olive Potato

In season alongside

Brill Arctic char Crayfish Greater amberjack (kanpachi) Lobster Spiny lobster

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