ROASTED SEA BREAM

Prep time: 40 minutes

Active prep time: 20 minutes

Special equipment needed – None

Special skills needed – Preparing a Fish to be Cooked Whole,  Baking fish

Serves 4

The gilthead sea bream is a Mediterranean staple that is gaining popularity in the United States.  It is a wonderful fish to eat with a chewy and pleasantly waxy texture that you have to experience to understand.  The flavor is unique and clean.  It is subtle, but pronounced and unlike any other fish.  The only fish that is close is the much more mildly flavored branzino, which is a great substitute in this recipe.  You’ll need a fish that is scaled and gutted with the gills removed.  You can do this for yourself or buy them that way.   This dish is one of the easiest preparations for fish and it really highlights the natural flavors of the fish.  The recipe calls for fresh thyme and dried oregano.  You can use dried thyme, but don’t use powder.  Don’t use fresh oregano because it tends to overpower the fish even in small quantities.  If you prefer, drop the oregano altogether and use rosemary instead.  I like to serve this fish with a butternut squash risotto or atop a pile of angel hair pasta tossed with olive oil, parmesan, tomatoes, and basil.  It also pairs well with tomato based sauces or something as simple as just diced tomatoes on top.

INGREDIENTS:

2 large gilthead sea bream – Whole, scaled, gutted, gills removed

4 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

1 Tablespoon Salt

½ Tablespoon Pepper

6 cloves minced garlic

1 lemon - Sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Rub each fish, inside and out with olive oil.  Combine the remaining ingredients except for the lemon.  Sprinkle evenly over each fish, inside and out.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Rub each fish, inside and out with olive oil.  Combine the remaining ingredients except for the lemon.  Sprinkle evenly over each fish, inside and out.

Place on a rack in a roasting pan and put 2 lemon slices in the cavity of each fish.  Put a couple of lemon slices on top as well.  Bake for 20 minutes and then check to see if they are done.

A perfectly roasted whole fish will have opaque white eyes, and the skin will start to loosen.  It will still have most of its natural shape, but the gill plates and jaws may start to slump.  

The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145 degrees for all fish, but for an ocean fish from a trusted source, I shoot for taking them out of the oven between 136 and 140 at my house.  The fish will continue to cook for a while after you pull it out of the oven.  You have to make your own food safety decision on that.  I rarely measure the temperature.  Instead, you can just stick a fork into the thickest part of the fish and turn it about 90 degrees.

 If the fish flakes and has turned white all the way through, it is done.  These can be served with the skin on or off.  The meat will separate pretty easily from the bones on the top fillet, then the whole skeleton will usually come right up from the bottom fillet.  It takes a little practice, but this type of fish is one of the easiest to work with when roasted.

Most of the skeleton should lift out easily, but some bones will probably be left behind.  That is part of the deal when cooking this fish whole.  Look it over thoroughly and chew carefully.

This is a rustic preparation and the top fillet is tough to get to the plate intact.  Don't worry about it.  This fish is delicious and interesting enough that your guests will forgive you.  Depending on your comfort level, this fish is often better served whole on a plate.  There is something special about just digging into a whole fish that is all yours.