roasted fish.

From Anthony Bourdain’s, “Kitchen Confidential”

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole snapper fish, descaled, guts and gills removed. (optionally, butterflied and deboned.)

  • 2-3 lemon slices, 1/2” thick.

  • 2 garlic clove, sliced.

  • 3 sprigs thyme.

  • 3 sprigs rosemary.

  • 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, (preferably good quality.)

  • basil tops.

  • parsley, chiffonade.

  • kosher salt.

  • black pepper.

basil oil (very optional):

  • 4 cups loosely packed basil leaves.

  • 1 cup canola oil.

Equipment:

  • baking tray.

Yield:

  • 1 whole roasted snapper.

Execution:

  1. cook the fish.

  • Preheat a convection oven to 500°F

  • Place the fish onto a lightly oiled baking tray, generously season the entire fish with kosher salt and black pepper.

  • Make three diagonal 1/2” deep slits along both sides of the fish

  • Stuff the cavity of the fish with thyme, rosemary, garlic and lemon.

  • Evenly drizzle olive oil over both sides of the fish.

  • Place in the oven and roast until crispy and cooked through.

basil oil.

  • Add the oil, salt and basil to the blender.

  • Blend on max speed for about 3-5 minutes or until steam starts coming out of the top of the blender.

  • Strain through a coffee filter or 3 layers of cheesecloth.

  • Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 1 month.

2. serve the fish.

  • Carefully place the fish onto a serving platter, drizzle on basil oil, top with chiffonade parsley and basil tops.