Make this when you have leftover parsley or white wine. You can do it the mild way (Italian) or the spicy way (Asian). The difference is chili flakes and soy or fish sauce. One note about sustainability: Ask your fishmonger where the fish comes from and how it was caught. If it was farmed, what was it fed? Were there antibiotics involved? Do you really want to eat that? In his or her opinion, is that fish sustainable? Use those questions to make your own decision. You can do this with a wide range of fish, so don’t settle for something you don’t want to put in your body.
Baked Whole Fish Stuffed with Herbs
Ingredients
1 whole 2 1/2 lb sustainable white-fleshed fish (wild snapper or bass, or wild halibut if you’ve got the money), cleaned, but with the head on (remove the edge of the tail if it’s thin and will burn)
1 tsp salt or 2 tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce
1 tsp crushed red chili flakes, optional
1 tsp olive oil
Juice of half a lemon, or 2 tbsp lemon juice (or use lime juice for a more Thai taste)
1 bunch parsley, chopped (about 3 cups)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped (about 3 cups)
2 cups dry white wine
Preheat oven to 400 F. Place a piece of aluminium foil on a baking sheet. Make a bed of half the herbs on the foil and place fish on top. Slash the fish about 1/2″ deep in three places on the top side. Coat the inside and outside of the fish with oil and lemon juice and sprinkle with salt (or soy sauce or fish sauce) and optional red chili flakes. Stuff it with as much of the remaining herbs as you can (the rest can overflow).
Fold up the sides of the aluminium and pour in the white wine. Close the aluminium completely above the fish like a little package so the wine can’t escape. Bake 30-35 minutes, until the fish is tender and just starting to flake when nudged with a fork.
Serve with sticky rice (Asian version) or fluffy bread (Mediterranean version) so soak up the sauce.
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