Oven Poached Dentici

Dentici is a fish I think my mum would like.  For some reason she's not into the fishier side of fish anymore... i guess tastes change..  So no lampuki for now (unless they're in pikkanti sauce or aljotta, and we dont' actually cook it when she's home hehehe).  I'm totally going back to my bugibba flat in a coming weekend if that means i get to eat lampuki hehehe :)

seasoned and ready to wrap and poach/bake

ANYWAY!  Dentici/Denci/Dentex is a medium sized Mediterranean fish, really nice delicate flavour..  it's a kind of Bream, and lives in waters up to 200metres deep, feeding on mollusks and smaller fish. 

This dish keeps the delicate flavour of the fish, lightly dressing it with simple ingredients, and it will be poached in the oven, steaming in its own juices :)

You can make this dish with any white fish, or possibly even salmon :) I would try it with seabream (awrat) except it's all farmed, and completely unsustainable.  meh!

I have no idea if "oven poached" is the correct term for this cooking method.  but to me, it makes sense.  I wrap each piece of fish separately in baking paper/foil, place in the oven, then it poaches in its own juicy steam until done. 

About 300 grams of raw white fish per person - this worked out to 2 large fillets
Fresh marjoram, few sprigs.
2 garlic cloves, crushed finely
olive oil
lemon juice
freshly ground pepper
seasalt
Baking paper
foil

Prepare 2 large squares of baking paper and foil (foil slightly larger) - you'll wrap each fillet separately.  Put the foil at the bottom, and baking paper on top (this will be in contact with the fish)

to make it easier to do the fish, i prepare the foil and paper as so in the dish, and then place the fish diagonally.  then put the wrapped fish aside while i do the next one.  works really well!

Wash the fillet very lightly and pat dry. 

Place the fillet in the middle of the baking paper, and season evenly with salt, pepper, lemon, a clove of garlic (crushed), and a sprinkle of olive oil.

about how much garlic i put on each fillet

ready to wrap!

Wrap tightly with the paper and foil, making sure that it's well sealed.

Later, rinse, repeat (i.e. do the same) with the next fillet and place both in a baking dish

ready for a baking!

I didn't bother preheating the oven, we have a pretty good fanforced one here, chucked it on "fan oven" on 180C and cooked for 30 minutes.  I checked it at 20, but the thicker part of the fillet was still completely pink, so chucked it back in.  They were nearly 500 gram fillets so keep that in mind if cooking smaller ones.

I served this with boiled potatoes (that were pricked, boiled with herbes de provence, garlic, salt, pepper, allowed to cool in the water then drained and peeled, served with a sprinkle of pepper and olive oil) and steamed green beans, heaps of em :)

so tender and nommy!

The fish was exquisitely tender, so milky, so soft and delicate.  Great win!

Enjoy! :)

And success!  Mum loved it! :)  hoolays!

And added bonus!  No fishy pans to clean! :D

Also - you can use this method with great success on the bbq.  In fact, i would suggest cooking fish on the bbq like this so that you can avoid the fishy bbq thing afterwards! :D