Whole baked fish

Hi all

I think one of the easiest and quickest dinners you can cook is seafood! All you need to do is pop into your local fish shop on the way home, grab what fresh produce you need (while you watch all the other people waiting for their battered fish and chips) and head home to cook a beautiful meal.

As I mentioned, one of the greatest things with seafood is that it is quick to cook and you need very little other ingredients - other than some lovely herbs and lemon. Dill is a great herb to use with seafood, especially with this dish - whole baked fish!

The other thing I love about doing a whole baked fish is that it is what I call a 'shared' meal. You can pop it in the middle of the table and everyone helps themselves. Then when you have finished one side you can take out the back bone and enjoy the rest. When I do this fish I pop it on a platter in the middle of the table along with a salad and some herb baby potatoes and then its - help yourself!

When I cook this dish for friends they always say they are too scared to cook a whole fish but it is seriously one of the easiest things to cook. Your fish monger has done all the hard work for you (make sure you buy your fish scaled and guttered - they normally have done this already).

Here are the ingredients I use for mine but again, this blog is about you getting an 'idea' and then using ingredients you like - go for it and have fun!

Ingredients 

• A whole baked fish (doh!) haha. Now you can use whatever fish you like. Barramundi or snapper is what I normally use but talk to your fish monger! Ask what has just come in and seek their advice.
• Fresh herbs. Dill is a must but add in whatever other herbs you have
• Lemon - I use 2 big ones for this
• Butter
• Good quality oil
• Salt and Pepper (as always)

Basic method (and this one really is basic)

• Fill the inside (aka the guts) of your fish with all of your lovely herbs, butter, oil and lemon slices. The butter and lemon will ensure your fish stays moist. 
• Along the top of your fish place some more herbs and some more lemon slices - again, ensuring your fish stays yummy and moist.
• Make a foil parcel - pop your fish on foil and wrap all the sides around it so your fish is inside and totally covered. Cook for about 15-20 mins but of course this will depend totally on the size of your fish. Just keep checking it. The flesh should just tear away with a knife and be a lovely white colour - not transparent.
• Serve with salad and wedges of lemon.

Little tip

There will be lots of yummy juice in the bottom of your foil parcel. PLEASE DON'T WASTE THAT! Spoon it over your fish before serving. Also a dash of white wine in your parcel will add heaps of yummy flavour.

Ok so go on.............. Cook fish tonight and please give me your feedback!