Cooking a whole fish looks more intimidating than it is. Roasting it is actually quite simple and it makes for an incredibly elegant presentation.
Ingredients
- 2 (3- to 4-pound) red snapper (substitute for whatever whole fish you like), gutted and scaled
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped mixed herbs (thyme, oregano, parsley, etc.)
- 8 lemon slices
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°.
Mix herbs, garlic and olive oil in a container big enough to hold both fish. Season mixture with plenty of coarse salt. Rub the herb mixture over both fish, and be sure to get plenty into the cavities near the jaw, eyes and mouth. Place the fish in the container. Add 4 lemon slices to the top of each fish. Cover container tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (can be done up to 6 hours before cooking).
Carefully transfer fish to a large baking sheet. You don’t need to oil the baking dish because you want the skin to stick to the pan, which makes it easier to filet. Bake for 30–35 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve with additional lemon wedges and plenty of napkins.
