Herb-stuffed sea bass
Branzino erba-farcito
Paul Pettengale
SERVES 2
Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking 20 minutes
1 medium, line-caught sea bass
2-3 lemons, thinly sliced
1 small red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 large handful each of basil, flat-leaf parsley, picked thyme leaves and fresh coriander leaf
olive oil for drizzling
salt and freshly ground pepper
Line an ovenproof dish large enough to accommodate the fish with a double layer of silver foil with enough of an overhang to wrap the fish. Drizzle with olive oil and add a layer of lemon slices.
Take the scaled and gutted fish and wash thoroughly inside and out. Cut off its fins with scissors. Score diagonally several times along the flesh on either side of the fish - close to, but not down to the bone.
Roughly chop the herbs, garlic and chilli. Place inside the belly of the fish, then add additional lemon slices inside the belly - don't worry too much if these hang out slightly.
Preheat your oven to 200ºC/Gas Mark 6. Add yet more slices of lemon on top of the fish and drizzle with more olive oil. Then fold the silver foil to form a parcel ensuring there is space above the fish for steam to collect.
Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Once done, remove from the oven and - ideally at the table - open up the silver foil to reveal a gloriously cooked fish. Season and remove from the bone, dividing between two plates.
