Whole Baked Sea Bream

This whole baked sea bream is simplicity itself.

The potatoes are par boiled prior to adding to the dish, you lay the fish on top and the juices flavor the potatoes.

Olives add a piquancy to the finished dish

Serve with a simple green vegetable, such as spinach or broccoli or a salad.

The recipe serves 2 - 1 fish around 500g gutted will split into 2 servings

Whole Baked Sea Bream

• 1lb (500g) new potatoes
• 1 whole seabream 2lbs (1k) or thereabouts - gutted and scaled
• Olive oil
• 1 small glass white wine
• 2 cloves garlic - peeled and crushed
• 12 black olives - pitted and halved
• pepper - fresh black
• squeeze of lemon juice
• handful fresh chopped parsley

If you don’t know how to gut and scale the fish, then ask your fishmonger who will be pleased to do it for you – however, watch and learn so you can do it yourself if you have to!

Heat your oven to Gas Mark 7 or 220C

Parboil the potatoes for about 10 minutes, cool then slice into rounds.

Take a large bowl and toss the potatoes, garlic, parsley, olives, oil and lemon juice.

Wash and dry the fish.

Season with pepper inside and out.

Oil an ovenproof dish and spread the potato mixture on the bottom - lay the fish on top.

Pour the wine over and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until the fish is cooked through.

You can test for 'doneness' by pressing the fish with your finger - if it's firm, then it's ready.

Serve hot with the juices poured over.

This is perfect for a quick meal for two - there is little work to do and it's a really simple fish meal.

If you don’t like black olives – and many people don’t – a few chopped anchovies would add a great flavor to the potatoes - or don't bother with either.

 

You may also like these recipes