Baked Gilt Head Bream

Baked gilt head bream is a classic Spanish fish recipe. Fresh gilt head bream (you can substitute sea bream, sea bass, or any other whole hearty fish) is simply prepared with lemon, herbs, white wine, and olive oil and baked in the oven or on your barbecue. Fall in love with it’s delicious flavour – perfect for a festive feast served with potatoes and a salad of red peppers, onion and tomato. 

Prep Time – 10 minutes

Cook Time – 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS FOR 2

Baked Fish:

  • 2 whole gilt head bream (doradas) - ask your fishmonger to clean them and prepare them for baking. The fish are generally around 600g (1.3 lbs), but sizes do vary and if larger may need additional cooking time.

  • 1 lemon

  • 1 fish stock cube

  • 1/4 cup dry white wine

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • Fresh parsley - you can use other herbs if you like, such as thyme, oregano, or fennel seed

  • Salt

  • Pepper

 Picadillo Salad:

  • 3 tomatoes finely diced, remove the seeds and any extra liquid (firm salad tomatoes are ideal)

  • 1 red bell pepper finely diced

  • 1 red onion finely diced

  • 2 tbsp Sherry vinegar (you can substitute red wine vinegar)

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (more to taste)

  • Sea salt (to taste)

  • Pepper (to taste)

METHOD 

Baked Fish:

Set the oven to bake at 285°F (140°C) or if using your barbecue preheat to high then turn down to medium

In a small bowl, mix the wine, olive oil, juice from half the lemon, a pinch of salt, pepper, a bouillon cube, and the dried herbs (if using).

Make three large cuts diagonally across each fish. Place the fish in a pyrex dish or a stainless steel utility pan  and cover them with the marinade. Cut the other half of the lemon into six round slices and place one slice in each crevice.

Put the fish in the oven on the middle rack or on your grill for 40-45 minutes. Check about halfway through and if it looks dry add a little water to the pan.

Once fully baked, let the fish rest a few minutes before eating. Be careful of bones when you eat the fish.

Picadillo Salad

Remove the seeds and pulp from the tomato and finely dice.

Deseed the red pepper and do the same and cut the onion in a small dice too.

Season the salad with salt and pepper and dress with vinegar and olive oil

Enjoy!