I make this stuffed wild seabass on repeat when in season. To allow me to make the same recipe over and over but still keep things fresh, I adorn it with a rotation of my favourite dressings. Serve this with any or every variety of salsa verde, dill sauce, chimichuri, caper raisin vinaigrette, or or a simple squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.
If you are more than 4 people, make two or three fish at the same time, allowing them to snuggle side by side in the baking pan.
This also works brilliantly on the BBQ in the summer months for added smokey charred flavour.
Stuffed Seabass
- 1 whole seabass (preferably wild), gutted and scaled (approximately 1.5kg)
- 2 tbsp (a couple of slices) of either herb butter (p?) or plain butter, softened
- 1/2 small red onion
- I lemon
- a few sprigs each of dill, parsley and tarragon
- salt and pepper
- a drizzle of olive oil
Remove the fish from the fridge an hour before you want to cook it.
Preheat oven to 220C
Dry the fish inside and out with some kitchen towels and place straight onto the roasting tin or oven to table friendly platter of choice.
Cut 3 slashes into the skin of the fish on the diagonal, careful not to go too deep into the flesh. This allows more even cooking and flavour from the butter.
Season the fish on all sides with salt and pepper, especially in the cavity and the cuts.
Slice the half red onion into thin half moons.
Cut 3/4 slices out of the lemon (approximately half), reserving the rest for squeezing over the fish at the end.
Rub 1 tbsp of the herb butter on the inside cavity of the fish and stuff with the onion and lemon slices and herbs.
Smear the remaining butter on the outside of the fish, making sure it goes into the slashes as well.
Drizzle with a little olive oil.
Cook for 18-20 minutes until cooked though and slightly blistered on the skin.
Have you made this dish?
Let me know what you think, share your efforts and any tweaks you made to the recipe on Instagram, don’t forget to tag #BuildingFeasts or email me on info@buildingfeasts.com
