A staple meal from my childhood was always a simple, crunchy fish -- presented whole with rice and fish sauce, and the cooked fish eye a coveted treat for the lucky winner (top eye only, because the bottom eye wasn't as crispy).
But when I got older and had to fend for myself in the kitchen, the whole fish recipe seemed daunting. After all, entire fish isn't cheap, and I was afraid to either burn the entire thing or under-cook it.
But the cravings for the comfort food just got stronger and stronger...until I couldn't take it anymore! I Googled a few recipes to make sure I had a solid idea on oven temperature and timing, then headed to the store for two Branzinos (European bass).
Below is a suggested way to prepare your fish, but honestly you can adapt this to whatever seasoning, sauce, and accompanied veggies you want. Get creative and have fun!
Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit before prepping the fish.
Rinse the fish and pat dry. Prep a baking sheet with lined aluminum foil and cover the surface with sliced lemons, tomatoes, or both. Mix all spices, garlic, and olive oil together and coat both sides of the fish, then place on the baking sheet. Slice the stomach of each fish and stuff with herbs and sliced lemon as desired.
Cook on a top rack for 20-30 minutes, keeping an eye on the skin getting crispy and the edges of the fish (around the stomach cut) getting flaky. You can also tell if the fish is cooked if the eye turns white and opaque.
Serve immediately with rice, with fish sauce on the side. Alternatively, serve with roasted shaved brussel sprouts as a healthier take.
But when I got older and had to fend for myself in the kitchen, the whole fish recipe seemed daunting. After all, entire fish isn't cheap, and I was afraid to either burn the entire thing or under-cook it.
But the cravings for the comfort food just got stronger and stronger...until I couldn't take it anymore! I Googled a few recipes to make sure I had a solid idea on oven temperature and timing, then headed to the store for two Branzinos (European bass).
Below is a suggested way to prepare your fish, but honestly you can adapt this to whatever seasoning, sauce, and accompanied veggies you want. Get creative and have fun!
Ingredients
- whole fish (Branzino, trout, tilapia, etc. Just aim for 1 lb per person)
- 1 lemon
- 2 tomatoes
- 10 garlic cloves, chopped
- assorted herb sprigs
- soy sauce
- fish sauce
- salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, olive oil
- white rice
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit before prepping the fish.
Rinse the fish and pat dry. Prep a baking sheet with lined aluminum foil and cover the surface with sliced lemons, tomatoes, or both. Mix all spices, garlic, and olive oil together and coat both sides of the fish, then place on the baking sheet. Slice the stomach of each fish and stuff with herbs and sliced lemon as desired.
Cook on a top rack for 20-30 minutes, keeping an eye on the skin getting crispy and the edges of the fish (around the stomach cut) getting flaky. You can also tell if the fish is cooked if the eye turns white and opaque.
Serve immediately with rice, with fish sauce on the side. Alternatively, serve with roasted shaved brussel sprouts as a healthier take.
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