Whole Baked Fish
There are many ways to cook a whole fish, including steaming, barbecuing, poaching, pan-frying, and baking. This baked fish recipe is an easy place to start. Choose a fish size that suits your household. When feeding four people for two nights in a row, we buy a 2 kg fish or two 1.5 kg fish. The method is the same no matter the size – you just need to adjust the cooking time.
The night after we have a whole baked fish, I use the leftover fish to make fishcakes. I LOVE meals that keep on giving!
You can serve this whole baked fish with just about anything: try it with rice and a cucumber salad and a delicious chili soy dressing; or flatbreads, chimichurri, and green salad.
Ingredients 8
1 whole barramundi fish, cleaned and scaled
1 tsp salt, plus extra for rubbing
1 tsp black pepper, cracked
3 tsp olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1⁄2 lemon, sliced
1⁄4 bunch dill, including the stems
4 bay leaves
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Method 7
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas mark 6).
Take your whole and pat it dry with paper towel. Season inside the cavity with and , drizzle in a little and stuff with the , and herbs.
Score the skin of the fish, being careful not to pierce the flesh. Rub the outside of the fish with a few teaspoons of and a little .
Place the on a lightly greased baking tray and bake for 20-45 minutes depending on the size of your fish. As a general guide, a fish weighing less than 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) needs 18-20 minutes, a 1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) fish needs around 30 minutes and a fish closer to 2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) needs 45 minutes.
Check the fish early and if it's not cooked, return it to the oven for another 5-10 minutes. It's ready when the flesh flakes easily and is white rather than opaque.
Remove the fish from the oven and serve with sides of your choice and plenty of condiments.
What To Do With Leftovers
If you have leftovers, strip the rest of the fish and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for 2 days, giving you the foundation for dinner over the following night. Make sure you save the frame, fins and head to make stock.
Cornersmith's tips
As a general guide, a fish weighing less than 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) needs 18-20 minutes, a 1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) fish needs around 30 minutes, and a fish closer to 2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) needs 45 minutes.
