Best Roast Whole Fish With Chile Mint And Basil Marinade Recipes

WHOLE FISH WITH MINT

Steps:

• Place a wire rack in the bottom of a roasting pan and add an inch of water to the pan. Place pan on the stove over two burners and bring water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, rinse and dry the fish inside and out. Place on a heat-safe platter and stuff the cavity with half the ginger, scallions, and chile pepper, all the garlic, and 4 sprigs mint. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Top fish with remaining ginger, scallions, and chile pepper, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Transfer platter to preparedpan. Cover tightly with foil and steamuntil opaque throughout, about15 minutes. Carefully lift platterfrom pan, retaining the juices.
• Meanwhile, combine lime juice and oil in a medium-size bowl. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste, and add remaining mint and the basil leaves. Toss to coat the herbs.
• Place herb mixture on top of the fish and serve immediately.

ROASTED OR GRILLED WHOLE FISH WITH TOMATO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Rinse fish with cool water and pat dry. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Tuck thyme, rosemary and parsley sprigs in cavity of each fish. Add fennel fronds, basil leaves and lemon slices. Drizzle olive oil on both sides of fish, then place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Leave at room temperature. (May season and refrigerate fish up to 2 hours in advance. Bring to room temperature before cooking.) Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Make the vinaigrette: Put shallot in a small serving bowl. Add vinegar and a good pinch of salt. Leave to steep 5 minutes, then whisk in olive oil. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and spoon them into the olive oil mixture. Add basil and stir gently. Leave at room temperature.
• Place fish on top shelf of oven and roast, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until fish is firm when probed and flakes at the thickest part. Take from oven and let rest 5 minutes. To serve, use a small knife, soup spoon and spatula to remove top fillets. Pull spine away to reveal bottom fillets. Transfer fillets to a platter or individual plates. Spoon a little tomato vinaigrette over each portion and pass the rest at the table.
• Alternatively, if you are grilling the fish, prepare a bed of hot coals. Make sure the grill is cleaned with a wire brush and lightly oiled. Lay the fish directly on the grill and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Do not attempt to turn fish until the skin has browned and crisped or it will stick. Carefully turn fish and cook for another 7 to 8 minutes, until fish is firm when probed and flakes at the thickest part. To serve, proceed as in Step 3.

ROAST WHOLE FISH WITH CHILE, MINT AND BASIL MARINADE

Steps:

• Puree all of the ingredients (except the fish) in a blender until smooth. In a dish large enough to fit the snapper, pour half the marinade over the fish. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the fish in a roasting pan and bake until fish is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Flash the fish under the broiler momentarily to crisp the skin. Place the fish on a platter and pour the remaining marinade over the top of the fish. Serve with steamed potatoes.

JACK'S OLD SOUTH MEAT MARINADE

Steps:

• Heat and whisk together until sugar and salt dissolve.

BASIL-MARINATED FISH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, herbs, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Add fillets; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning once or twice. , Drain and discard marinade. Lightly oil the grill rack. Grill fillets, covered, over medium-hot heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 7-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

WHOLE ROAST FISH WITH LEMONGRASS AND GINGER

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Pat the body and inside of the fish dry, and space the fish evenly apart on an unlined sheet pan. Using a sharp knife, cut two diagonal slits, 2 inches apart, into the skin of each fish, making sure not to cut through to the bone. Repeat the slits on the other side. Drizzle both sides and the inside of the fish with 3 tablespoons oil, and season with the 1 1/2 tablespoons salt.
• Working in batches if necessary, transfer the lemongrass to the bowl of an asanka or a mortar. Use the pestle to pound the lemongrass pieces until crushed and fragrant. Move the crushed pieces to one side of the mortar bowl or the asanka. Add the ginger pieces and repeat the pounding process until they're crushed. Combine the ginger and the lemongrass. Add the scallion greens and scotch bonnet chile. Use the pestle to crush and combine these with the lemongrass mixture. Add the shallot and zest of 1 lemon, crush and combine with the pestle. Stir in the turmeric and coconut milk. (Makes about 1 1/4 cup marinade.) Alternatively, you can do this step in a food processor. Add in the ingredients in the order listed, and pulse them all together. Stir in the turmeric and coconut milk.
• Slice the zested lemon into 3 or 4 rounds. Spread the marinade generously over both sides of each fish and about 2 tablespoons into each cavity. Place a lemon slice, the white end of a scallion and some cilantro sprigs in each cavity. (At this point, the fish can be left to marinate for up to 30 minutes, or covered and refrigerated overnight.) Drizzle the tops of the fish with the remaining oil.
• Roast the fish until firm and cooked through, rotating the sheet pan once halfway through the process, about 22 to 25 minutes. Slice the remaining lemon into wedges. Serve the fish over steamed rice or alongside a hearty salad, with the lemon wedges for squeezing.