Baked Whole Fish With Dates Recipes

BAKED WHOLE FISH WITH DATES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Season the fish with salt and pepper inside and out. Roughly chop the dates and put them in the fish's cavity along with half the butter. Use some of the remaining butter to grease the bottom of a roasting pan and dot the top of the fish with the rest of it. Toss the onion with the wine, cinnamon, ginger, and a little more salt and pepper and place in the bottom of the roasting pan; put the fish on top of this mixture. Seal the top with aluminum foil.
• Bake the fish for about 30 minutes, undisturbed. Uncover, raise the oven heat to 450°F, and continue to roast, basting once or twice with the pan juices, until the fish begins to brown on top, about 15 minutes more. Serve the fish immediately with the dates, onions, and pan juices.
• Make a paste by combining 1 cup blanched almonds, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a food processor with 2 tablespoons chilled butter; process, scraping down the sides of the processor as necessary, until smooth. You can mix this paste with the chopped dates or use it alone.

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.

BAKED WHOLE FISH WITH POTATOES AND LEMON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Put potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon oil. Layer potato slices evenly on parchment; season with salt and pepper. (If using a smaller fish, such as branzino, par-cook the potatoes in the oven for 15 minutes now.) Arrange half of the lemon slices over potatoes and sprinkle with parsley.
• Set fish over potatoes and rub with 2 tablespoons oil; season skin and cavity with salt and pepper. Top with remaining lemon slices and arrange bay leaves over fish. Drizzle with remaining oil. Bake until fish is just cooked through, 40-60 minutes (depending on size). Using a butter knife or metal spatula, flake flesh off the bone and serve immediately.