Roasted Sea Bream
Crispy golden skin, tender flaky flesh perfumed with lemon and herbs, all drizzled with good olive oil. Classic French coastal cooking, a few ingredients and half an hour in the oven for a ridiculously good result. The dish that makes everyone go quiet whilst they eat.
Ingredients
- 1 sea bream 600-800g, gutted and scaled
- 2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- 2 lemon for stuffing and for serving
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 4 parsley
- 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 handful dill or fennel fronds
- coarse sea salt
- black pepper
Equipment
Instructions
1. Prep the fish
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Rinse the fish under cold water and pat completely dry with kitchen paper, inside and out. This matters for crispy skin!
2. Slash and season
- Make three diagonal slashes on each side, cutting through the skin and about 1cm into the flesh. Season the cavity generously with salt and pepper.
3. Stuff the fish
- Slice half a lemon into thin rounds. Stuff the cavity with the lemon, a few sprigs of thyme and parsley, and the sliced garlic. Don't overstuff it, so the fish closes naturally.
4. Season the outside
- Rub the fish all over with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper, more than you think. Scatter a few more herbs on top and tuck some into the slashes.
5. Roast
- Place the fish on the mat-lined tray and roast for 25 to 30 minutes. A 600g fish needs about 25; an 800g one closer to 30. The skin should be golden and crisp, the flesh opaque and flaking easily.
6. Rest and serve
- Rest the fish for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, supporting the middle with a double spatula so it doesn't break. Drizzle with olive oil, squeeze over the remaining lemon, scatter with parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Sea bream is classic, but sea bass works brilliantly too. Ask for "royal sea bream" or "gilthead bream" if your fishmonger looks blank.
- Buy it fresh. It should smell of the sea, not fishy. Eyes clear and bright, gills red, flesh firm.
- Two smaller fish beat one big one for four people. They cook more evenly than one large fish.
- The drier the skin, the crispier it'll be. Pat thoroughly, or give it 20 minutes uncovered in the fridge if you've time.
- How to tell it's done: the flesh should be opaque to the backbone and flake easily. The eyes turn white and pop slightly.
- Sides: boiled new potatoes with parsley and butter, a green salad, good bread, roasted cherry tomatoes or sautéed courgettes.
- Leftovers: flake through pasta with olive oil, chilli, garlic and lemon, or into fish cakes or a salad. Cold roast fish is excellent.