Baked Whole Sea Bream Recipes

GREEK OVEN BAKED SEA BREAM RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 230°C/446°F.
• Prepare the fish. Remove its scales with a fork. Open the belly and remove the fish innards. Rinse well
• On your working surface lay a large piece of aluminum foil. On top add a large piece of parchment paper. Put the fish on top.
• With a sharp knife make a lengthwise incision at the center of the fish's belly. (on both sides)
• Season well with kosher salt. Add some in the belly and at both the incisions you just made.
• In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice. Pour half of it over the fish.
• Cut one garlic clove into very thin slices and sprinkle over the fish.
• Season using half the amount of oregano and some ground pepper.
• Fold the parchment paper at each end. Start by folding envelope-like and than secure tightly. Wrap the aluminum foil well around the fish, making sure there aren't any holes for the steam to escape.
• Repeat process for the next fish . Add the fishes in a baking pan.
• Add about 2 fingers of water in the pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
• NOTE: At half an hour check to see if there is still any water left in the pan. If not add a bit more so the fish won't stick to the bottom.

BASQUE BAKED SEA BREAM RECIPE

Steps:

• Pre-heat your oven to 200°C/390˚F/Gas Mark 5 for 15 minutes.
• Lay the sliced potatoes in a large baking dish, season the inside of the fish with sea salt and place the fish on top of the sliced potatoes. Make three diagonal slashes on one side of each sea bream and push a lemon wedge into each slash. Drizzle the fish with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season the outside of the fish with sea salt.
• Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes, basting the fish occasionally.
• Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes to crisp the fish and brown the potato slices.
• Whilst the fish and potatoes are browning, prepare the garlic and chilli oil to finish the dish by warming in a pan the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is warm add the garlic slices and fry slowly until lightly golden, sprinkle on the dried chilli and chopped parsley.
• Remove the fish from the oven, squeeze on the fresh lemon juice and spoon the garlic and chilli oil all over the fish.

BAKED WHOLE SEA BREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius / 392 degrees Fahrenheit / Gas mark 5.
• Add half of the olive oil to a large baking tin (or enough to cover the surface).
• Layer on the fish together in the tin along with all of the vegetables and lemons. Sprinkle across the coarse sea salt and drizzle the remaining olive oil evenly over the fish.
• Sprinkle over all of the parsley and dill across the top of the dish and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes maximum. You'll know when the fish is done because the eyes of the will be opaque. If they're still translucent, the fish needs to be cooked for longer. If they're opaque and have completely sunken in, you've overcooked it. Remember that tip!

WHOLE ROAST BREAM WITH POTATOES & OLIVES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for about 10 mins, cut into thick slices, then cool. In a bowl, toss the potatoes with the olives, garlic, half the chopped parsley, half the olive oil, the lemon zest and salt and pepper. Tip this mix over the bottom of a medium gratin dish.
• Season the fish and place the parsley stalks in the cavity. Lay the fish on top of the potatoes and drizzle with the rest of the olive oil. Bake for 15 mins until the potatoes start to crisp up around the edges. Pour the wine over, then return to the oven for 10 mins more until the potatoes have browned and the fish is cooked.
• Remove the dish from the oven, scatter over the rest of the parsley and bring the dish to the table. When you serve up, don't forget the lovely white wine juices in the bottom of the dish. Delicious with a simple bowl of spinach.