Whole Baked Fish with Watercress & Chilli Salsa
The Coastal Centerpiece – Whole Baked Sea Bass
Impress your guests with a vibrant, restaurant-quality seafood dish.
Cooking a whole fish can feel daunting, but The Whatever Pan makes it effortless. Its generous surface area easily accommodates a large sea bass alongside sliced potatoes and vine-ripened tomatoes. The superior heat retention of the cast aluminium ensures the potatoes crisp up beautifully underneath, while the gentle heat of the oven roasts the fish to flaky perfection. The deep sides are perfect for catching all those delicious lemon and garlic-infused juices, which serve as the base for your meal. Finished with a punchy, hand-blended watercress salsa, this dish transitions beautifully from the oven to the center of your table for a rustic, communal dining experience.
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Serves
6
Course
Main
Prepare
15 mins
Cooks
45 mins
750g/26oz new potatoes, sliced
1 whole sea bass (approx. 1.5kg/53oz), gutted and scaled
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled and bashed
1 lemon, sliced
350g/12oz cherry tomatoes
For the salsa
80g/2.8oz watercress
25g/0.8oz fresh parsley
25g/0.8oz fresh coriander
1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced
1 tbsp capers
150ml/5fl. oz extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 lemon, juiced
Salt & black pepper, to taste
1 Preheat your oven to 220°C/428°F.
2 Add the sliced potatoes to a pan of salted boiling water and parboil for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3 Score the sea bass by cutting a criss-cross pattern into the flesh on both sides. Rub the fish thoroughly with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.
4 Stuff the bashed garlic cloves and lemon slices into the cavity of the fish for maximum aromatics.
5 Arrange the parboiled potatoes in an even layer across the base of your Whatever Pan. Add the cherry tomatoes and season well.
6 Lay the prepared sea bass on top of the vegetables. Roast in the oven for 20–25 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.
7 Carefully remove the fish and keep warm on a plate. Return the potatoes and tomatoes to the oven for a further 10 minutes to crisp and caramelize.
8 For the salsa: Pulse the watercress, herbs, chilli, and capers in a food processor until finely chopped. Gradually pour in some of the extra virgin olive oil and pulse again.
9 Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the remaining oil, lemon juice, and crushed garlic. Season to taste.
10 Spread the vibrant chilli salsa over the rested fish. Serve directly from the Whatever Pan for a stunning communal feast.
| Nutrient | Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Energy | 1,590kJ / 380kcal |
| Fat | 22g |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5g |
| Carbohydrates | 24g |
| Sugars | 3g |
| Fiber | 4g |
| Protein | 22g |
Nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Values may vary depending on the specific type and size of the fish.