Best 6 Whole Roasted Fish Recipes

ROASTED OR GRILLED WHOLE FISH WITH TOMATO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Rinse fish with cool water and pat dry. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Tuck thyme, rosemary and parsley sprigs in cavity of each fish. Add fennel fronds, basil leaves and lemon slices. Drizzle olive oil on both sides of fish, then place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Leave at room temperature. (May season and refrigerate fish up to 2 hours in advance. Bring to room temperature before cooking.) Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Make the vinaigrette: Put shallot in a small serving bowl. Add vinegar and a good pinch of salt. Leave to steep 5 minutes, then whisk in olive oil. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and spoon them into the olive oil mixture. Add basil and stir gently. Leave at room temperature.
• Place fish on top shelf of oven and roast, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until fish is firm when probed and flakes at the thickest part. Take from oven and let rest 5 minutes. To serve, use a small knife, soup spoon and spatula to remove top fillets. Pull spine away to reveal bottom fillets. Transfer fillets to a platter or individual plates. Spoon a little tomato vinaigrette over each portion and pass the rest at the table.
• Alternatively, if you are grilling the fish, prepare a bed of hot coals. Make sure the grill is cleaned with a wire brush and lightly oiled. Lay the fish directly on the grill and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Do not attempt to turn fish until the skin has browned and crisped or it will stick. Carefully turn fish and cook for another 7 to 8 minutes, until fish is firm when probed and flakes at the thickest part. To serve, proceed as in Step 3.

GRILLED WHOLE FISH WITH ROASTED TOMATO-CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Line heavy large skillet with foil. Place tomatoes and chiles in skillet; cook over medium-high heat until skins begin to blister and blacken in spots, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes for tomatoes and 10 minutes for chiles. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Peel tomatoes; transfer to processor. Add chiles, onion, and garlic. Blend until coarse puree forms. Transfer sauce to bowl. Stir in cilantro, parsley, and salt. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)
• For fish:
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Rinse fish inside and out with cold water; pat dry. Open fish flat, like a book. Rub fish inside and out with oil; sprinkle inside with oregano, salt, and pepper. If grilling, place fish, opened flat, in grill basket. If broiling, place fish, opened flat, on oiled rimmed baking sheet. Grill or broil fish just until opaque in center, about 6 minutes per side.
• Using spatula, transfer fish to platter. Sprinkle with lime juice; serve with tomato sauce and warm corn tortillas.

GRILL-ROASTED WHOLE FISH STUFFED WITH FRESH HERBS AND WRAPPED IN PANCETTA

Steps:

• Grilling Method: Indirect/Medium Heat
• Rinse fish and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper inside and out. Place fresh herbs inside cavity of fish. Lightly oil both sides of fish. Wrap seasoned, oiled fish with pancetta or bacon that is thinly sliced and unrolled. Wrap fish loosely, mummy-style, with the pancetta, leaving head and tail exposed.
• Place fish in center of cooking grate. Cook until opaque, but still moist in thickest part (10 to 15 minutes). Remove from grill.
• Place fish onto platter and serve immediately.

WHOLE ROASTED FISH WITH SLICED POTATOES, OLIVES & HERBS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, chopped garlic, chopped oregano, olives, and red pepper; drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt. Arrange the potatoes and friends in the bottom of a baking dish large enough to accommodate the fish. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and reserve.
• Make 3 diagonal slices about 1/2 inch deep on each side of the fish. Season the outside and inside of the fish with olive oil and salt. Place the lemon slices, bay leaves, whole oregano sprigs, parsley, and remaining garlic inside the body cavity of the fish.
• Pour the wine over the potatoes, lay the fish on top, and toss the whole thing in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the eyeball pops out.
• Remove the skin and bones and serve the fish over the potatoes.
• note
• When you buy a whole fish, tell your fishmonger you want to have it scaled, gutted, and gills removed-you really don't want to do this at home.

WHOLE ROASTED FISH

Steps:

• The fish should be cleaned and gutted but left whole. For flavor and dramatic presentation, the head should be left on the fish but you may have to remove it if the fish will not fit in your oven with the head. You will need an oven at least 20 inches wide to accommodate a whole fish larger than 6 pounds. You will also need a very large pan to hold the fish. You can improvise one using a standard 17-inch baking sheet, wrapping it in several thicknesses of heavy-duty foil and extending the foil beyond the ends of the baking sheet to create a surface that will fit the fish. Turn up the edges of the foil to catch pan juices.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
• Rub the fish inside and out with the olive oil. Season the cavity of the fish with salt and pepper and stuff it with the rosemary.
• Place the fish on the prepared pan, place it in the oven and roast it 5 minutes per pound. Remove the fish from the oven and turn off the oven. Cover the fish loosely with a tent of foil and allow it to rest at least 15 minutes. It can rest for up to one hour and then be served at room temperature. Alternatively, after the resting period, the fish can be returned to the oven set at the lowest possible temperature (140 to 150 degrees) and kept warm without overcooking for up to 1 hour.
• At serving time, transfer the fish to a platter and garnish with the fresh coriander.
• To serve, peel off the top layer of the skin of the fish, then, using a large fork and a spatula, carefully lift sections of the fish off the bone. When all the exposed flesh has been removed from the bone, lift off the skeleton in one piece to expose the flesh underneath. Serve portions of it, lifting it off the skin, with sauce on the side.

WHOLE ROASTED FISH WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• 1, Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat fish with oil and season it generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with lemon slices and herbs. Transfer to a baking sheet or large roasting pan and bake until the flesh is opaque and separates easily from the backbone, 35 to 45 minutes for a 4-pound fish, 45 to 60 minutes for a 6-pound fish. 2. While fish cooks, toss mushrooms with 3 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread mushrooms out in one layer on 1 or 2 baking sheets, taking care not to crowd them. When fish is done, remove from oven and turn on broiler. Broil mushrooms until they are crisp and golden, 5 to 10 minutes. 3. Let fish rest in roasting pan for 5 minutes. Using back of a fork, scrape away fish skin and divide top fillet among plates. Lift away backbone and discard; scoop bottom fillet away from its skin (which should stick to the pan) and divide among plates. Drizzle fillets with good olive oil, season with flaky sea salt and serve with lemon wedges and crispy mushrooms on the side.