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.

Prep10

Cook30

Total40

Servings

DifficultyEasy

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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