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Meaty with a dash of veggies

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Seafood Lunch / Dinner Main Courses

Steamed whole fish with lemon and olive oil

Published: 02.22.2018 » Last updated: 06.08.2022

Whole fish is rubbed with salt and spices, steamed on a bed of blanched spinach then drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice before serving.

Steamed fish with lemon and olive oil is simple enough to make any day of the week, and elegant enough to serve on a special occasion. If you want to cook more than one fish to serve more people, a steamer with two or more baskets will really save you time.

Letting the fish marinate in the seasonings and spices is crucial to allow the flesh to absorb the flavors. To help the fish soak up the spice rub, score it on both sides. And remember to season the cavity too.

How long should should the fish marinate? For a 600-gram fish, an hour should be enough. Pompano is used in this recipe, it’s a rather flat fish, so, in a hour, the seasonings had reached the innermost part of the flesh.

If your fish is heavier in weight or if you’re using a rounder fish (meaning the flesh is thicker) the marinating time should be adjusted.

Full recipe below

Steamed whole fish with lemon and olive oil

Connie Veneracion
The bed of spinach is totally optional but if you decide to include it, simply blanch two handfuls of spinach, rinse, squeeze and, optionally, chop.
Steamed Whole Fish With Lemon and Olive Oil
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Marinating time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Fusion
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 600- gram whole pompano - or your fish of choice
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoon grated ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil - plus more for drizzling
  • juice of one ½ lemon
  • fried garlic - optional
  • lemon slices - optional
  • cilantro - optional

Instructions
 

  • Score the fish: Lay it flat on a chopping board. With one hand pressing down the fish to keep it from sliding, take a sharp knife with the other hand and hold it at a 45-degree angle. Slash the fish, twice or thrice depending on the size, on both sides. How deep depends on the thickness of the flesh. I like depth of my slashes to be midway between the skin and the rib (spine).
  • Mix together the salt, pepper, ginger, garlic and lemon zest. Rub all over the fish including the cavity.
  • Place the fish in a covered container and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.
  • Pour water into the steamer pan and start heating.
  • Take the fish out of the fridge.
  • Smear the bottom of a heat-proof plate with half a teaspoon of olive oil.
  • Place the fish on the oiled plate and drizzle the remaining half teaspoon of olive oil over it (If adding a bed of spinach which is optional, spread the squeezed spinach on the plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay the fish on top of the spinach.)
  • Steam the fish for 30 minutes.
  • Take the fish out of the steamer.
  • Drizzle with lemon juice and more olive oil.
  • Optionally, garnish with fried garlic, lemon sliced and cilantro before serving.
Print Save! Saved!
Keyword Whole Fish

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Connie Veneracion, Chiang Mai, 2020

Hi, I’m Connie!

Welcome to Umami Days, a blog that advocates innovative home cooking for pleasurable everyday dining. No trendy diets, no food fads and definitely no ludicrous recipe names like crustless quiche, noodleless pho or chocolate lasagna.

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