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Home » Fish » Greek Fish with Honey and Ouzo

Greek Fish with Honey and Ouzo

By Hank Shaw on February 25, 2012, Updated August 25, 2021 - 20 Comments

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4.84 from 6 votes
fish with honey and ouzo on a plate
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If you are looking for a classic Greek fish recipe, you’d simply coat a fish with olive oil, grill it, and serve it with lemon and salt. This recipe is only slightly more complicated.

The finished Greek fish recipe on the plate
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

I call this dish Greek fish with honey and ouzo, and it is one of my all-time favorite fish recipes. I first made it with California white seabass, then sturgeon, tuna, halibut, grouper, catfish, tautog… you get the point. Use a firm fish you can cut into chunks.

This Greek fish recipe has everything you could ask for: A crispy crust, tender fish, a hit of sweetness from the honey and a blast of salty umami from the Worcestershire sauce.

Sturgeon and other firm, meaty fish such as white seabass, swordfish, shark or tuna can be tricky to cook. If you cook them too long, they can get dry and impossibly dense. The texture of these fish is really more like beef than fish, and in fact sturgeon was once called “white beef” back in the early 1900s.

Get the pan hot, add oil and then let that get hot. Dust 2-inch chunks of fish in flour, then brown on 3 sides of the cube. If you brown more than that, you run a higher risk of overcooking the fish. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients, toss to combine and you’re done. Stupid easy.

And fast.

I made this recipe start-to-finish in a 3 1/2 minute segment for a Tampa TV station back in 2011 while I was on my first book tour. I made it that time with grouper. When I added the ouzo to the pan it of course flared up, and that’s when one of my favorite moments of the entire book tour happened: I shouted, “Opa!” (This is a Greek dish, after all) and the TV host shouted, “Oompa Loompa!” I almost pissed myself laughing.

At any rate, give this Greek fish recipe a go with whatever large, firm fish you can find. And yes, it’s great with big shrimp, too.

If you want to make this part of a Greek feast, try it as a first course before something like my Greek venison shanks or my recipe for stifado, a rabbit stew.

fish with honey and ouzo on a plate
Print Recipe
4.84 from 6 votes

Greek Honeyed Fish

This recipe comes together pretty fast, so have everything ready before you begin. Use any firm fish you can cut into chunks. Or, do as the Greeks do and use shrimp. Try to get fresh oregano if you can find it, but good dried oregano will work, too.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time6 mins
Total Time21 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 142kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 1 to 2 pounds skinless firm fish
  • Salt
  • Flour for dusting
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, or fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons honey, ideally Greek thyme honey
  • 1-2 shots of ouzo or other anise-flavored liqueur
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
  • Lots of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Cut the fish into chunks of between 1 1/2 inches and 2 inches across. If you are using shrimp, peel and devein them. Salt the fish well and set aside while you chop the garlic and oregano.
  • Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 1 minute. Add the olive oil. Dust the fish pieces in flour, shake off the excess and lay down in the pan. Turn the heat down to medium-high and brown the fish on 3 sides. Move the finished fish to a paper towel to drain.
  • Add the garlic and let this fry for 30 seconds. Do not let it brown. Take the pan off the heat and add the ouzo. It will flare up. Shout, "Opa!" Put the pan back on the heat, turn it to high, and scrape off any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add the Worcestershire sauce and honey and swirl to combine. Let this boil down until its syrupy, then add the fish back along with the oregano. Toss to combine. Turn off the heat, grind fresh black pepper over everything and serve at once.

Notes

If you can't find ouzo, another anise-flavored liqueur will work. Some other options are Pernod, anisette, raki, tsipouro, and pastis. 

Keys to Success

  • This comes together very quickly, so have all your ingredients ready before you start. 
  • You need high heat here, and you'll get some smoke, so use your stovetop fan on high. 
  • Serve this with rice pilaf, a green salad and some crusty bread. As for a drink, choose a lager beer or a crisp white wine such as a Greek Assyrtiko or an Italian Pinot Grigio.

Nutrition

Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 43IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @HuntGatherCook or tag #HankShaw!

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Filed Under: Fish, Greek, Recipe

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for Mark mc donaghMark mc donagh says

    July 14, 2020 at 11:45 am

    Superb, speared a 5lb grey mullet on Saturday. Held together great and the flavour was amazing. Cheers Hank ?

    Reply
  2. Avatar for AjenjeAjenje says

    June 15, 2017 at 1:28 am

    tried it with a little cinnamon and it tasted just awesome……NICE

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Suzanne M StantonSuzanne M Stanton says

    March 25, 2017 at 11:04 am

    I made this last night with redfish out of Rockport, TX, & used sage honey since I couldn’t find thyme honey. Oh, man… it was GOOD.

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Susan KaronSusan Karon says

    March 15, 2016 at 8:47 pm

    This recipe was outstanding and just unusual enough. The best preparation for sturgeon I’ve found yet. Nicely done!

    Reply
  5. Avatar for AndrewAndrew says

    April 2, 2015 at 7:51 pm

    Do you think this would work well with bottom fish like ling cod or cabezon?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      April 3, 2015 at 8:31 am

      Andrew: I’ve done it with lingcod, and it’s great – go for it!

      Reply
  6. Avatar for forgotmynameforgotmyname says

    March 19, 2015 at 9:39 pm

    Made this tonight with a Cretan Spanakorizo using shrimp. Excellent. I always love your recipes; they’re so simple yet so, so good. Opa!

    Reply
  7. Avatar for BrendanBrendan says

    March 18, 2015 at 9:07 am

    Ha! I always forget how some brackets work in html. I was grumbling about marrying a person who dislikes anise flavors. Usually just my family’s Christmas cookies that are spurned, but more of those for me. Making this dish for dinner wouldn’t work, and that is a major let down.

    Reply
  8. Avatar for felix ramosfelix ramos says

    November 27, 2012 at 7:02 pm

    I think I will try this recipe i been fishing for sturgeon for years here in sacramento and the season its getting started sounds great.

    Reply
  9. Avatar for StellaStella says

    March 12, 2012 at 5:03 pm

    Pinch me! This is so wonderful. Layers of flavors in the syrup. I used pan fish from a Minnesota lake. Smaller fillets but its the sauce! Its the sauce! Thanks for a new addition to my recipe box. Im going back for 3rds…..

    Reply
  10. Avatar for rickrick says

    March 7, 2012 at 1:21 pm

    wow what a great recipe!! instead of cubing it, i cut 5 oz pieces and scored it and followed the instrucions. 10lb of fresh wild caught…………gone in one night.
    i used fresh braised brussel sprouts w/ shiitake mushrooms and wild rice pilaf.
    can’t wait to get your new cook bookthanks again, chef Rick

    Reply
  11. Avatar for RasmusRasmus says

    February 29, 2012 at 3:49 pm

    @ semiswede; It’s almost too simple: svärdfisk.

    Reply
  12. Avatar for IFIF says

    February 28, 2012 at 1:56 am

    In California 99 Ranch usually carries sturgeon (whole for steak). Some Chinese places on Irving street in SF have it (live). Sometimes Costco as fillet. Personally I have not managed to overcook sturgeon yet. I think it is quite forgiving compared to other fish. I really like it sashimi style. But for that it needs to be the farmed kind (parasites in the wild?) Shark sounds like a good substitute in your recipe, but at least where I live it is harder to get in stores.

    Reply
  13. Avatar for semiswedesemiswede says

    February 28, 2012 at 12:54 am

    This sounds absolutely fantastic. It’s making me shout Opa! and Oompa Loompa! I really want to try this one but I’m afraid it will have to be with shrimp. I don’t think I have seen swordfish at my fish market. I’ll have to figure out the Swedish word so I can ask about it.

    Reply
  14. Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

    February 27, 2012 at 4:33 pm

    Eric: No footage. I tried to get a copy, but they were going to make me pay for it. 🙁

    Reply
  15. Avatar for ericeric says

    February 27, 2012 at 6:04 am

    Is there footage of the segment? I’d love to see you cook it, and I’d realllllly love to see the host shout oompa loompa!

    Reply
  16. Avatar for Laura PLaura P says

    February 26, 2012 at 5:39 pm

    This is funny as hell, Hank! “Oompa-loompa”!

    Reply
  17. Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

    February 25, 2012 at 3:36 pm

    Matt: Yep, dust the peeled shrimp with flour.

    Reply
  18. Avatar for MattMatt says

    February 25, 2012 at 11:52 am

    If you’re making this recipe with shrimp do you dust the shrimp with flour or just cook them directly?

    Reply
  19. Avatar for Tanya @ Lovely GreensTanya @ Lovely Greens says

    February 25, 2012 at 11:21 am

    I’ve never tried Sturgeon before but the dish you’ve whipped up really looks delicious!

    Reply

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Hank Shaw holding a rod and reel in the American River

Hi, my name is Hank Shaw. I am a James Beard Award-winning author and chef and I focus my energies on wild foods: Foraging, fishing, hunting. I write cookbooks as well as this website, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild game, fish, or edible wild plants and mushrooms, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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