Baked Sea Bream Rota Style Food

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.

BAKED SEA BREAM ROTA-STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Arrange the potatoes in an ovenproof dish large enough to accommodate the sea bream. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Bake for 20 minutes.
• In a lidded frying pan, warm 2 tablespoons oil over medium-low heat. Fry the onion, garlic and pepper for 10-15 minutes, or until soft. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf and a little water, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes.
• Season the fish with ½ teaspoon salt and 10 turns of the black peppermill. Place on top of the cooked potato.
• To make the picada, using a mortar and pestle, grind the parsley, garlic and salt together, then spread it over the fish.
• Add 4 tablespoons of water and the lemon juice to the dish, then pour the tomato mixture over everything. Drizzle over the remaining oil and the sherry and bake for 20-25 minutes. Scatter the parsley over the top and serve immediately.

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.

ORATA AL FORNO (BAKED SEA BREAM WITH POTATOES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven (430 F, 220 C).
• Wash and peel the potatoes. Slice them (about 1/4 inch thick).
• Mix the potato slices with as less olive oil as possible. They should only be coated and not soaked. Arrange the slices on an oven-proofed dish, so that later the fish could be placed on them. Salt them to taste with salt and a little pepper.
• Put them in the oven and bake them covered with aluminium foil for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile prepare and clean fish. Wash and pat dry. Remove pectoral and ventral fins.
• Sprinkle some salt into stomach cavity. Put two slices of lemon, a few slices of garlic and one sprig rosmary into cavity. Brush on both sides with a little olive oil.
• After 15 minutes take potatoes out of the oven and sprinkle with slices of green onions and the rest of garlic.
• Place fish on the potatoes. Sprinkle with some salt and put back in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until fish is done (Fish is done when the dorsal fin can easily be removed).
• If the fish gets to dry while baking, brush with a little olive oil.
• When fish is done take out of the oven and sprinkle with parsley and serve hot with additional slices of lemon.
• NOTE: Serve fish as a whole or fillet prior to serving.