By Tracey Ceurvels, contributing writer
It can seem daunting, roasting a whole fish. But trust me when I tell you it’s one of the easiest ways to cook, say, a whole halibut, red snapper, trout, or bass—and it makes for an impressive presentation if you have dinner guests.
Years ago, I bought a fish roasting pan, and it has come in handy for many dinner parties. It’s incredibly simple: add a fish to the pan along with some of your favorite ingredients, roast—and voila!—you have an easy, yet elegant dinner to serve with your favorite side dishes. Here is my recipe for a roasted fish with Greek flavors. But, experiment and add the herbs and flavors you like best. You can’t go wrong.
How to Roast a Whole Fish
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: About 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 whole fish (about 2- 2.5 lbs.)
Extra virgin olive oil (always have a bottle of this in your pantry)
Kosher salt
1 medium lemon, sliced
1/2 cup green olives, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, sliced
Several fresh oregano stalks – about 8
4 cups of white wine
Make the fish:
Ask the fishmonger at Dean & DeLuca or your local gourmet market to scale and gut the fish and remove its gills and fins.
When you’re ready to prepare the fish, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse the fish before cooking and dry it very well inside and out with paper towels. Make several incisions, 3 inches apart, on each side of the fish. These cuts help the whole fish cook evenly. Generously season the inside and outside of the fish with salt and olive oil. Place several lemon slices, 3 cloves of garlic and 4 oregano stalks on the bottom of your roasting pan. Place the remaining lemon slices, oregano stalks, garlic slices and chopped olives inside the body of the fish. Place fish in roasting pan. Add white wine. Place in oven and roast for approximately 30 minutes. The fish is done when the flesh flakes easily when poked with a fork. Remove and serve on a platter along with your favorite side dishes.
