Note: This recipe was contributed by writer Bill Morris in his article on Spanish Mackerel and comes from the Flying Burrito Restaurant in Chapel Hill, NC.

“A Spanish mackerel is one of the best fish in the world for grilling,” says Phil Campbell, owner of the Flying Burrito Restaurant in Chapel Hill. “And if it’s fresh, you just can’t beat the flavor.” Campbell recommends removing the rib bones from the fillet, but leaving the skin on. There’s no need to scale a Spanish mackerel, either. The fish’s natural oil keeps it from sticking to the grill, even without oil.

Salsa: Chop one of each of the following: ripe tomato, avocado, mango, onion. Stir in the juice of two limes, add chopped cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. You can prepare the salsa an hour ahead of time to get the flavors to blend.

Grilling: Place the fillet meat-side down on a hot grill just long enough to get the marks of the grill seared into the flesh. Turn the fish over, and leave it until it’s as done as you like it. Let the fish get white all the way through, but don’t over-cook.

Presentation: At the Flying Burrito the dish is served with the salsa heaped in the seam between two fillets. Black beans and sweet potatoes round out this traditional Yucatan meal.