Rick Stein Sea Bream Recipes

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.

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 BASS WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS, TOMATOES, ANCHOVIES AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Place the saffron in a teacup, pour over 2 tablespoons of hot water and leave to soak. Put the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water and boil for 7 minutes. Drain well and arrange them in a narrow strip over the base of a roasting dish large enough to hold the sea bass either lengthways or diagonally. The potatoes should form a bed for the fish, leaving plenty of room on either side for the red peppers. Scatter the tomatoes and anchovy fillets over the potatoes, then pour over the saffron water and stock. Scatter the pieces of red pepper down either side of the potatoes and sprinkle over the garlic, oregano sprigs and olive oil. Season everything well with salt and pepper and bake for 30 minutes. Slash the fish 5-6 times down each side and then slash it in the opposite direction on just one side to give an attractive criss-cross pattern. Rub it generously with some olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and then rest it on top of the potatoes. Return the dish to the oven and bake for a further 35 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Serve with the roasted vegetables.