Good food feeds the soul
Simple. Delicious. Real Food.
Today, I’m bringing you a real treat using one of my favorite whole grains, a Spring Farro Salad with Asparagus, Peas and Fresh Herbs. The hubby and I fell in love with the simple goodness of farro in Italy, where they’ve been growing and eating farro …
The hubby and I are greeting this year’s spring on a small farm in Ann Arbor, Michigan. That’s one of the fun things about property management and pet sitting, we’re always somewhere new, experiencing new people, places and of course, food. On this sit, we’re …
How better to spoil mom on Mother’s Day than give her a smooth, silky bowl of Spring Green Cauliflower Soup heavy on mood-boosting superfoods by light on calories. This beautiful soup is loaded with cauliflower (of course!), zucchini, fennel, leeks and avocado with coconut milk, …
I orginally shared a Chicken Cacciatore recipe here on the blog back in January 2013, way before I had visited Italy. But it was experiencing it at a hunter’s celebration dinner in Umbria, Italy that really made this dish one of my favorites. Yep, I …
I adore a good veggie burger. The problem is – so many don’t taste all that great and I’m a HUGE burger of any kind fan. So, while my hubby was back in the US visiting his parents, I started creating and testing black bean …
Strawberries are in peak season here in Portugal. So, I couldn’t resist popping some in the oven to make Balsamic Roasted Strawberries with Pink Peppercorns. I served it over a no-bake lemon cheesecake for dessert over the Easter holidays. This recipe is so freaking easy. …
Growing up in the Southern US, fried green tomatoes are often on the menu. So, when a gentleman in the local community garden shared some tomatoes from his vines, I couldn’t resist making a batch. Although this recipe is nothing like the fried green tomatoes …
Back in Denver, one of the hubby’s and my favorite places was an Italian restaurant, called Panzano, where they made a lovely fried eggplant resting in marinara sauce that was to die for. So, this week, I’m bringing you my version of the dish – …
Sooooo, what do you make when you buy the biggest head of cauliflower you’ve ever seen? For starters, Moroccan Spiced Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Wraps with a Sriracha Aioli. This recipe is 100% addicted and keeps you coming back for more. Plus, it’s so freaking …
Have you ever made your own crackers? I hadn’t until recently. It’s always been one of those things on my list to do but I couldn’t be bothered because you can always buy such wonderful flavors in the store with no effort. BUT making homemade …
My lovely friend Jacky got me HOOKED on Roasted Cherry Tomatoes. After eating these SWEET babies at her place a few times, I HAD to start making them at home. And share them with you because you don’t need to miss a treat like this. …
‘Oh, that’s good.’ Lovely words to hear from my friend who tried my latest recipe, a beautiful Roasted Winter Squash Soup with Coconut Milk and Asian Flavors. The cooler weather is here in Portugal and my mind has switched to soup mode. So, much so, …
Okay, I’m just going to say it! Massaging kale to make it tender for kale salad is 100% silly. Instead, save the massage for yourself and make my Kale Salad with Apple and Persimmon tossed with a Lemon Dressing. I created this salad for a …
Fish.
Yep, I said the ‘F’ word.
How many of you love fish but avoid cooking it at home because you HATE the lingering odor of fish? And for an even better question, how many of you avoid cooking whole fish, simply because you didn’t know what to do with it?
It’s time to let it all go cause I’ve got the perfect easy solution for you. And it’s freaking delicious without smelling up your home.
When you cook fish in the oven, the oven pumps most of the smell out the exhaust. No more dealing with your home smelling fishy for days on end after cooking it. Plus, there’s no giant clean up mess either.
Simply grab a handful of fresh herbs, lemon slices, and a bit of salt and pepper to stuff in the cavities and pop it in the oven on a baking sheet. Cover that baking sheet with baking paper for easy clean up. And have the prep work of cleaning and scaling done at the fish market.
Yep, it’s that simple to make Oven Baked Fish with Herbs and Lemon that will have your family or guests applauding you.
No matter whether you’re eating your oven baked fish whole or in fillets, it needs to be fresh. So, how do you tell the fish is fresh?
With whole fish, you start by looking at the eyes. Are they clear and glassy, like the fish is staring into your soul? If so, you can start picking out the fish you want to take home. If the eyes look cloudy, avoid.
Besides the eyes, look at the skin. Is the skin still glossy and shiny? If it’s dull, skip it. Does the fish smell fishy or salty like the ocean? If it smells fishy, move on. If you can touch the fish, gently press on the flesh. Does the flesh spring right back out or does the dent stay? If the dent stays, avoid the fish.
When picking out filets, it’s a bit harder because you don’t have the eyes to check out. But you can notice the smell. If it’s smelling fishy, don’t buy it. Does the flesh look firm, or does it appear to be going mushy? If you can touch the fish, the same test as above with checking whether the flesh springs back to the touch, works well. Also, again look at the skin – if there is any. Is it shiny and healthy looking or dull?
And as you guys know I’m a seasonal chef, I only use the fish that are in season. It’s one of the best ways to help ensure that you’re getting fresh fish (you still need to do all the checking). Seasonal fish are quicker to the market and turn over faster because they are less expensive. Plus, they taste better. You’ll need to consult your local markets to find out what is seasonal for you.
Use these same tips for picking out fresh shrimp and lobster.
I’ve found when using whole fish, a 400-to-600-gram fish (12 to 16 ounce) per person works well. If the fish are larger, splitting a 600-to-1000-gram (1.25 to 2 pounds) between two people is perfect. These are bone in and head and tail on – a complete whole fish.
Yes, yes, I know. You have fisheyes staring at you. But seriously using whole fish enhances the flavor. Plus, the fish cheeks are delicious. If you can’t get past it, have the head cut off at the market, then use to make a nice fish stock for soup.
Personally, I prefer the single serve oven baked fish for dinner parties because it looks nice for everyone to have their own fish. But you can also get large fish and divide up the servings. Usually if I’m going large, I switch to fillets, even though the presentation isn’t as pretty.
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It’s totally up to you and what is fresh in the market. Here in Portugal, I’m often baking up small Dourada (featured in the photos) and Robalo (Black Sea Bass). Salmon, hake, grouper, snapper, most any white fish work well.
Trout also works well in this oven baked fish recipe. I’m personally not a trout fan but plenty of people are. The flavor of trout is beautiful, but I’m not a fan of picking bones out of every bite of fish while eating. As a result, I tend to avoid fish with bones throughout the fish rather than centrally attached to the backbone area.
Not so great is tuna or the fish that’s cut into steaks. Or more oily type fish, such as sardines, mackerel, and blue fish. Those you want to sear in the pan or on the grill rather than baking them. Even salmon fillets, I prefer to sear rather than bake. But the whole salmon does work well with this recipe.
Just remember with all fish, adjust the baking time based on your fish size. Smaller fish need less, larger fish more, so the time suggested in the recipe is just an approximate. Also, fish continues to cook after removal from the heat, so remove a hint early as not to overcook.
This oven baked fish recipe is one of the easiest ones I make in both cooking and clean up. Smaller fish take less than 15 minutes to bake up and have on the table. Pair with a side salad and you have an easy lunch that is not only tasty but healthy. Or do it all up with the special sides for dinner. One thing is for sure, you’ll find cooking whole fish so freaking easy and delivering beautifully tasty dishes to the table that everyone will love.
If you’re looking for other lovely seafood dishes that don’t make the house smell fishy, check out my recipe for mussels. What’s your favorite way to cook fish? Let me know in the comments. And if you have questions, leave those there as well.
