Roasted Bream Recipes

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.

ROASTED SEA BREAM WITH HERBS

Steps:

• Prepare and clean fish. Wash and pat dry. Remove pectoral and ventral fins.
• Brush fish from all sides with olive oil. You may need about 3 tablespoons oil, but it can be more depending on size of fish. Put fish in a suited oven proofed dish (it should not be too large).
• Chop parsley (set about 1/2 tablespoon aside for topping), thyme and majoran. Pick sage leaves to pieces. Sprinkle herbs over the fish. Add bay leaf, black pepper seeds and cloves.
• Cover and marinade in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. I suggest to marinate for at least 2 hours, so that this can be done in advance. Turn fish once during this time.
• Preheat oven (390 F, 200 C).
• Take fish fish from marinade and remove as much of the herbs as possible. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
• Turn fish over in flour. It should only be slightly covered with flour.
• In a large skillet heat a little olive oil. Roast fish from both sides on medium to medium high heat until golden brown.
• Put fish and remaining oil in the oven proofed dish with herbs. Add about 1/8 to 1/4 cup wine. The ground of the dish should just be covered. Distribute butter in small pieces over the fish.
• Bake in oven for about 20 minutes. Fish is done when the dorsal fin can easily be removed. During baking sprinkle fish from time to time with sauce.
• Remove fish carefully from dish and place it on a serving plate.
• Remove as much herbs as possible from sauce. Add Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice to taste.
• Sprinkle some sauce and remaining parsley over the fish and serve the remaining sauce separetly.
• NOTE: If you like you can increase the amount of herbs in the recipe. The more wine you use the less lemon juice is required.
• NOTE: Use a dry white wine and serve the wine with the fish.

ROASTED FISH (EG: SEA BREAM)

Steps:

• Ideally, buy your fish ready cleaned out and descaled. Otherwise, clean it well.
• Cut a length of aluminium foil, enough to wrap the fish completely.
• Spread olive oil all over the foil, then spread some parsley or mint over an area the size of the fish itself, and place the fish over it.
• Pour more olive oil on the fish, then cover the top side of the fish in parsley or mint, placing any remaining parsley or mint inside the abdomen where the innards were removed. Finally close up the aluminium foil and seal it up tight. The foil will keep the fish from drying out and keeps the flavours surrounding it as it cooks.
• Place the fish, in its foil, in an oven dish or tray, in the oven, and roast at 200C for 30 minutes. Larger fish may need more.