Whole Baked Fish Cuban Style Recipes

SEA BASS CUBAN STYLE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until soft. Stir in garlic, and saute about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, and cook until they begin to soften. Stir in wine, olives, capers, and red pepper flakes. Heat to a simmer.
• Place sea bass into sauce. Cover, and gently simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Transfer fish to a serving plate, and keep warm.
• Increase the heat, and add butter to sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir in cilantro. Serve sauce over fish.

WHOLE BAKED FISH CUBAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Rinse the fish well under cold running water and pat dry on both sides as well as inside the cavity.
• Make several slits about 1/3-inch deep on both sides of the fish.
• Place the fish in a non-reactive shallow dish or platter and pour the lime juice over the fish.
• Set aside while you continue with the preparations.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
• Rub the bottom of a shallow glass or ceramic dish large enough to hold the fish with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
• Saute 1/2 of the onion slices and 1/2 of the pepper slices in 2 tablespoons olive oil and then place along the bottom of the baking dish.
• Tear 2 of the bay leaves into small pieces and sprinkle over the vegetables.
• Drizzle with 2 tablespoons more of the remaining Spanish olive oil and season with salt, black pepper, to taste, and crushed red pepper flakes.
• Place the fish on top of the sliced vegetables.
• Using a mortar and pestle, combine the garlic, kosher salt and oregano and mash to form a paste. (We used a small food processor.).
• Spread the garlic paste inside the cavity of the fish and into the slits on top.
• Place the remaining bay leaf inside the cavity of the fish.
• In the same small bowl that you used to make the garlic paste, combine the tomato puree and vinegar and stir to combine.
• Pour this tomato mixture all over the fish.
• Top with the remaining onion and pepper slices and drizzle the remaining olive oil and the wine over the top.
• Season again with salt and black pepper, cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil, and bake until the fish flakes easily when pierced with a fork, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Garnish with the parsley and serve hot or warm, with the pan juices drizzled over all.
• Serve with white fluffy rice, ripe plantains and a nice leafy salad & vinegar & Olive oil dressing, a loaf of hot Cuban or Italian bread to sop up all the sauce and a nice bottle of wine.
• Enjoy!

WHOLE ROAST FISH BAKED IN SALT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet large enough to hold the snapper.
• Rinse the snapper thoroughly, inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff the cavity with the rosemary, thyme, coriander seeds, and bay leaves.
• On the baking sheet, spread about 1/2 pound of the salt in an even layer that is slightly longer and wider than the snapper. Place the fish on the salt layer and cover completely with the remaining salt.
• Bake until a instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the fish reads 130/, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Brush away as much salt as possible. Using two dessert spoons, remove the top fillets and transfer to a warm plate. Lift off the bones, then transfer the bottom fillets to another plate. Serve immediately, with the extra-virgin olive oil and lemon wedges passed on the side so each diner can season their fish as desired.

WHOLE BAKED FISH, MOROCCAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Reserving a few sprigs of coriander for garnishing, combine all the ingredients except the fish in an electric blender and mix until smooth. With a sharp knife, make three slashes in the skin. Smear the mixture in the fish cavity and over the skin. Leave to marinate at room temperature for about 2 hours.
• Broil the fish for about 10 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the fish, or until cooked. Arrange on a serving platter, garnish with coriander and lemon slices.

BAKED WHOLE FISH

Steps:

• Soak the fish in cold, salted water for 15-30 minutes; drain and dry slightly.
• Preheat oven to 400.
• Season cavity with lemon slices, celery, onion, salt, and pepper and 2 TBS lemon juice.
• Close the fish and place bacon strips on top or around fish.
• Sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion salt and remainder of lemon juice.
• Cover with pats of butter and bake until flesh is white and flakes apart with fork (about 30 minutes for a 2 1/2 pound fish or 40-45 minutes for a 3 pounder).
• the fish may be broiled at the end to brown the bacon.
• Cut into 1 1/2 inch wide sections and serve with lemon wedges.
• Serves 2-4, depending on size of fish.
• Note: Other vegetables such as potatoes and tomatoes may be cooked with the fish if desired.