Char-Grilled Blackfish with Chive Oil + Polenta

Char-grilled blackfish (luderick) on creamy soft polenta, drizzled with a vibrant chive oil + finished with peppery rocket. The kind of plate that announces "we're not just camping — we're entertaining." Restaurant-style fish course from a campsite, looking + tasting like a fine-dining starter. Make the chive oil ahead (ideally a day before for max flavour). The dish itself comes together in 20 minutes. Recipe Card Serves 4 Prep 15 min Cook 30 min Method BBQ / grill Difficulty Easy Best for Camp + home Photo by Mina Rad on Unsplash Char-Grilled Blackfish with Chive Oil + Polenta Serves: 4 · Prep: 15 minutes (+ 4 hours chive oil rest, ideally overnight) · Cook: 20 minutes · Equipment: grill or BBQ, medium saucepan, whisk, small bowl Photo: James Frewin / Unsplash Ingredients Main: 1kg blackfish (luderick) fillets — skin on, scaled, pin-bones removed 2 tbsp olive oil, for brushing Salt + cracked black pepper Baby rocket leaves, to serve Chive oil (make ahead): 100ml extra virgin olive oil 2 bunches fresh chives, finely chopped Pinch rock salt Pinch freshly cracked black pepper Soft polenta: 30g unsalted butter 1 small brown onion, finely chopped 800ml full-cream milk 90g instant polenta Salt + cracked pepper Optional: 30g grated parmesan stirred in at the end (richer, more savoury) Substitutes for blackfish: luderick (same fish — different name), whiting fillets, snapper fillets, bream, mullet, mahi-mahi (dolphin fish). Method 1. Make the chive oil FIRST — at least 4 hours ahead, ideally a day. Combine olive oil, chopped chives, salt + pepper in a small bowl. Stir to coat the chives. Cover + leave at room temperature (or fridge if it's hot). The chives release their oils + flavour into the olive oil over time. Earlier prep = brighter colour + bigger flavour. 2. Make the polenta. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion. Cook 2-3 minutes until transparent (don't brown). 3. Add the milk + bring to a boil. 4. Whisk in the polenta in a steady stream while continually whisking. CRITICAL — don't dump it all at once or you get lumps. 5. Continue whisking as the polenta thickens (2-5 minutes for instant polenta; 15-20 minutes for traditional). Reduce heat to lowest setting. 6. Season the polenta with salt + pepper to taste. Stir in optional parmesan now if using. Keep warm. 7. Char-grill the fish. Heat a grill or BBQ to HIGH. Brush fillets with olive oil + season with salt + pepper. 8. Place skin-side DOWN on the hot grill. Cook 4-5 minutes — until the skin is crispy + golden + the fish releases easily from the grill. 9. FLIP ONCE. Cook another 1-2 minutes (skin-side up) — the residual heat finishes the cooking. Pull off when just barely opaque in the middle. 10. PLATING (the show-off part): Spoon a generous mound of soft polenta into the centre of each plate Top with the grilled fish fillet (skin up for visual contrast) Drizzle the chive oil over the fish + the plate around it Scatter baby rocket leaves around the fish Serve immediately Tips and variations The chive oil is the MVP. Don't shortcut it. Made well + given time, it's a vibrant green oil that transforms the plate Polenta variants: instant polenta (5 min cook) is convenient; traditional cornmeal polenta (20 min) has better texture. Both work Polenta-fix tricks: too thick = add splash of milk; too thin = cook longer; lumpy = whisk vigorously or push through a sieve Skin-on, skin-side-down first = crispy skin. Skin-off = miss out on the textural hit Pin bones are critical to remove — use tweezers or pliers, run your finger along the fillet, pull each one straight up + out Other herb oils: basil oil (Mediterranean), parsley oil (universal), tarragon oil (French) Pesto alternative: a green pesto can substitute the chive oil if pressed for time Side dish ideas: roasted cherry tomatoes, sautéed spinach, blanched asparagus, lemon wedges Camp version: char-grill fish on the BBQ; cook polenta on butane stove or low coals; chive oil prep at home (transport in jar) Wine pairing: crisp dry white — sav blanc, pinot grigio, or unoaked chardonnay Our take The "show off your skills" dinner. Catch a blackfish or two on the rocks, make the chive oil at home before leaving, set up the polenta + grill at camp. The plating looks restaurant-grade. Guests think you're a chef. Once you've mastered this technique, the door opens to the whole world of "fish on smooth + something + drizzle" plated dishes — same plating principle works for snapper on cauliflower puree, kingfish on sweet potato mash, even tuna on white bean puree. Shop Fishing Gear

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Char-Grilled Blackfish with Chive Oil + Polenta

Posted on April 26, 2026