Whole Roast Fish With Lemon And Fennel Food

WHOLE STUFFED ROAST FISH WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the fennel and onion in a large roasting tin and toss with 2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice and plenty of seasoning. Roast for 20 mins until almost tender and starting to caramelise. Meanwhile, put the couscous in a medium bowl. Mix the saffron and hot stock, pour over the couscous and cover with cling film.
• Rinse the fish with cold water inside and out, then pat dry. Slash deeply on both sides and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of the lemon zest. After 10 mins soaking, fluff up the couscous with a fork and add 2 tbsp lemon juice, the remaining zest, the dill, 1 tbsp pine nuts and seasoning to taste. Stuff the couscous into the cavity of each fish, reserving any leftover couscous for later.
• Stir the tomatoes and currants into the tin. Sit the fish on top and roast for about 30 mins, depending on its size. Look for juices running from the slashes in the flesh. Tug gently on the back fin - if it comes away easily, the fish is cooked.
• 4 Scatter with the rest of the pine nuts, then serve from the tin, with lemon wedges for squeezing over. Serve one stuffed fish per person, or if you have cooked large fish, gently lift the fillets from the top of the fish first, then turn over and repeat. Share out the couscous stuffing and leftover couscous.

WHOLE ROAST FISH WITH LEMON AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°.
• Put the fish on a baking sheet (we put ours atop a baking rack). Make 3-4 crosswise slashes down to the bone on each side of the fish. Season both sides generously with kosher salt, rubbing salt into each of the slashes. Stuff each slash with 1/2 of a lemon slice and a couple sprigs of fennel. Stuff the cavity of the fish with remaining fennel and lemon slices.
• Rub both sides of the fish with olive oil and shower with the sea salt and black pepper.
• Roast for 20 minutes or until the flesh is 145ºF.
• (adapted from the Gjelina cookbook)
• Combine everything but the vinegar in a small bowl and set aside for flavors to meld, about 15 minutes.
• Just before serving, stir in the vinegar and then spoon over the fish.

BAKED SEA BASS WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Rinse and dry the fish. Season all over, then stuff the cavity with some fennel slices, lemon and basil. Scatter the olives and any leftover fennel, basil and lemon into a roasting tin.
• Place the sea bass on top. Drizzle each fish with the oil and bake for about 30 mins or until cooked through and starting to brown.

SEA BASS WITH FENNEL, LEMON & SPICES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Mix all the spices together. Brush a large square of foil with the oil, then scatter over the fennel. Sprinkle with a third of the spices, half the chilli and some seasoning. Rub the remaining spices and chilli all over the fish and in the cavity, put the fish on top of the fennel and stuff with the lemon slices.
• Bring the edges of the foil together and scrunch well to seal. Place the parcel on a baking tray and cook for 15 mins. Unwrap, scatter with coriander and serve with lemon wedges, if you like.

ROASTED WHOLE FISH AND FENNEL WITH CRUSHED POTATOES, PERSERVED LEMON, AND CHARMOULA

Steps:

• Mix yogurt, chopped cilantro, and lime juice in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill.
• Cut 2-inch-long, 1/2-inch-deep slits into outside of both sides of fish, spacing 2 inches apart. Sprinkle fish inside and out with salt and pepper. Place parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, fennel fronds, and lemon slices in fish cavity. Sprinkle top side of fish with chopped parsley and 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Do ahead Lime yogurt and fish can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir fennel seeds in small dry skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Mix fennel wedges, 2 tablespoons olive oil, toasted fennel seeds, and 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme on rimmed baking sheet; toss. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until fennel is tender and beginning to brown, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Do ahead Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 400°F oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.
• Place potatoes in large saucepan; fill with enough cold salted water to cover. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer just until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Transfer potatoes to baking sheet and cool slightly. Using heel of hand, smash potatoes coarsely. Return potatoes to same saucepan. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and preserved lemon. Do ahead Can be made 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over fish. Roast fish just until opaque in center, about 30 minutes. Let fish rest 5 minutes.
• Add 1/4 cup reserved potato cooking liquid to potato mixture; stir gently over medium heat until heated through, adding more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if mixture is dry, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Using 2 large metal spatulas, transfer fish to platter. Arrange fennel and potato mixture around. Spoon some Charmoula , then some lime yogurt atop fish. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve with remaining Charmoula and lime yogurt.

WHOLE ROASTED FISH WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat; add julienned fennel, shallots, and half the garlic. Cook, covered, until just tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fennel mixture to a bowl, reserving oil in pan; season with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley; set aside.
• Place fish in an oiled shallow baking dish large enough to hold fish. Spread fish open, and transfer fennel mixture to center of fish. Sprinkle with lime juice, and close fish. Tie together crosswise in 2 or 3 places using kitchen twine.
• Season fish with salt and pepper; rub with remaining garlic. Pour reserved oil over fish; cover with fennel stalks and fronds. Pour in white wine.
• Bake fish, basting often with juices from pan, until flesh is opaque and flakes slightly, about 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Remove strings. Transfer to a large serving platter; garnish with watercress. Serve immediately.