Denise says:

Bank holiday weekend is a perfect time for a BBQ – weather permitting!
In this recipe the seabass is wrapped in a parcel of baking parchment paper and baked with orange juice and white wine. I have made this on the BBQ and wrapped the parcel with an outer layer of foil so that the paper does not burn. Barbequed at a low temperature is the secret of perfect cooking. Should the weather turn out to rain, these parcels can be cooked in the oven.

Although this recipe has quite a list of ingredients, the blended flavours produce the most amazingly aromatic fish dish.

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:

For the Marinade
Zest of 1 orange – keep the juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 red chilli – deseeded and finely chopped
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
4 450g / 1 pound whole sea bass – gutted, cleaned and de scaled

For the Stuffing
4 threads of saffron
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 spring onions – trimmed and roughly chopped
50g dried ready to eat apricots – roughly chopped
30g breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon ground almonds
55g chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Cooking Liquid
8 tablespoons fresh orange juice
8 tablespoons white wine
Remaining marinade

Garnish
2 oranges – cut into slices

Method

1)In a small bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients.
2)Cut three diagonal slits into each side of all fish and rub in the marinade. Cover and leave refrigerated for 1 hour.
3)To make the stuffing, place the saffron in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon hot water.
4)Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Sauté the spring onions and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the apricots, breadcrumbs, ground almonds, juice of 1 orange, chopped walnuts, ground cardamom and season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5)Add the saffron and cook for 1 minute, stirring from time to time.
6)Pre-heat the oven to 350 C / 180 F/ Gas mark 4 or light the BBQ.
7)Fill the cavities with the stuffing.
8)Take sufficient baking parchment to make a parcel for each fish. Pour 2 tablespoons of orange juice, 2 tablespoons of white wine and any remaining marinade into each parcel. Roll up and secure with a paper clip. Take sufficient baking foil and wrap the parcel again.
9)Bake in the pre-heated oven for 35 minutes or until the fish flakes away easily.

To Serve the stylish way: Garnish with slices of orange.
Tagged in: Dinner Party, Fish, Sea Bass, Sephardi, Shabbat