Pescado a la talla (whole splayed fish grilled with red chile adobo)

Scale the fish and cut off the lower fins with scissors.

Starting at the top side of the backbone, cut the flesh free down to the base without cutting through the skin underneath; cut down through the rib cage. Repeat on the other side and free the entire backbone.

With a large cleaver, split the fish down through the top, all the way down but not through, so it stays attached at the base. Remove the innards and rinse quickly.

Roast garlic in its skins in a dry skillet about 15 minutes, turning from time to time; let cool.

Pull the tops off the guajillo chilies, tear open, dump the seeds and pull out the veins (less spicy). Pull the stems off three arbol chilies.

Toast the guajillos flat in the skillet one at a time, pressing until aromatic and slightly changed in colour, then flip and press the other side. Toast the arbols whole for a minute.

Cover the chilies with hot tap water, weight with a plate to keep them submerged, and rehydrate about half an hour.

Blend the chilies with a little of the soaking liquid, the peeled roasted garlic, freshly ground pepper and crushed Mexican oregano to a smooth puree.

Strain through a medium-mesh strainer, pressing it through, and season fairly highly with salt.

Oil the grill basket, brush the fish evenly with olive oil on both sides and sprinkle lightly with salt. Secure in the basket and grill flesh side down over a bed of coals about five or six minutes, until just starting to brown.

Flip, open the basket and spoon the adobo generously over the fish. Dollop mayonnaise thinned with a little milk over the top.

Close and grill about five or six minutes more, until the skin underneath crisps and the adobo sets.