Basque Baked Sea Bream Food

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.

BASQUE BAKED SEA BREAM RECIPE

Steps:

• Pre-heat your oven to 200°C/390˚F/Gas Mark 5 for 15 minutes.
• Lay the sliced potatoes in a large baking dish, season the inside of the fish with sea salt and place the fish on top of the sliced potatoes. Make three diagonal slashes on one side of each sea bream and push a lemon wedge into each slash. Drizzle the fish with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season the outside of the fish with sea salt.
• Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes, basting the fish occasionally.
• Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes to crisp the fish and brown the potato slices.
• Whilst the fish and potatoes are browning, prepare the garlic and chilli oil to finish the dish by warming in a pan the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is warm add the garlic slices and fry slowly until lightly golden, sprinkle on the dried chilli and chopped parsley.
• Remove the fish from the oven, squeeze on the fresh lemon juice and spoon the garlic and chilli oil all over the fish.

BAKED SEA BREAM WITH TOMATOES & CORIANDER

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Slice the potatoes thinly, put in a large saucepan and cover with cold salted water. Bring to the boil and drain, then lay onto the base of a lightly oiled large baking tray. Scatter over the garlic, chilli, saffron and a little of the coriander.
• Slash the fish through the flesh down to the bone - this allows it to cook evenly and quicker than normal. Season and rub with the olive oil. Lay the fish on the potatoes and top with the lime juice, wine, tomatoes and pine nuts. Lay the pancetta slices over the fish and bake for 20-25 mins or until the fish is cooked through. Check by pulling out one of the fins on the back, it should come away easily. Serve the fish scattered with the remaining coriander.