HERB-STUFFED WHOLE FISH

Herb-Stuffed Whole Fish image

Provided by Amanda Freitag

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

4 branzino or dorade, scaled and gutted (look for 12- to 14-ounce fish)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 lemons, cut crosswise into paper-thin rounds
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 bunch fresh oregano
1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 12-inch skewers
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Place a large oven-safe saute pan or baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven to preheat.
Season the belly cavity of the fish with salt and pepper. Place 2 or 3 lemon slices and a few sprigs each of thyme, oregano and parsley into the cavity of each fish. Really, just fill the cavities with all the lemon and herbs that will fit.
Now for the fun part! Close the cavity of each fish by "sewing" a skewer through the skin: Hold the skin together, tucking in the herbs, and weave the skewer up and down through the skin to seal the cavity. The skewer stays in while the fish is cooking. Season the outside of the fish with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Divide the olive oil among the 4 fish and use your fingers to rub it on, coating them well on all sides.
Carefully remove the preheated pan from the oven and gently place the fish in it. There should be a searing noise -- that means you're doing it right! Return the pan to the oven and roast the fish for 15 minutes.
Remove the fish from the oven and let rest for 2 minutes. Carefully remove the skewers and place the fish (herbs and all) on large plates for serving. Since these are whole fish, be mindful of the bones as you eat, and advise your guests to be careful as well.