Whole fresh fish baked Provençal style on a succulent bed of garnish. 

A simple dish to savor the freshness of fresh fish by baking it whole Provençal-style, on a succulent bed of garnish made up of fennel, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes. This dish brings back fond childhood memories of summer vacations in the Riviera. Nothing beats simple pleasures like this.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2

1 whole (around 2 lb [1 kg]) fish (bream, snapper or similar)

2 tomatoes, cut into cubes

2 onions, thinly sliced

500 g potatoes, scrubbed and cut into cubes

1 fennel bulb (see instruction below)

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp dried herbs

1 small bunch parsley with stalks

4 tbsp olive oil, plus more to cook the fish

4 cloves garlic, sliced or bruised

½ cup (120 ml) water, plus more to cook the fish

Salt and pepper to season

½ lemon, sliced

About 1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine (optional)

MISE EN PLACE

To get your fish ready, begin by scaling it and removing its fins. If you're unsure how to do this, ask your fishmonger to prepare it for you.

To prepare the fennel, start by trimming about 1 cm off the stems and setting them aside. Next, cut off the base of the fennel bulb and remove a layer of the outer leaves. Finally, quarter the bulb and slice it thinly.

Preheat your oven at 356°F (180°C)

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix together the potatoes, fennel, onions, and tomatoes. Add the dried herbs, bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. Pour in the olive oil and use your hands to mix everything together thoroughly.

2. Transfer the vegetable mixture into a large baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the garlic on top, and then pour in the water.

3. Place the baking dish into the oven and bake at 180°C 356°F for 40-45 minutes until the water has evaporated and the vegetables have turned golden brown.

4. While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the fish by scoring it on each side with a small knife. Season the inside with salt and pepper and fill it with some sliced fennel and fennel stalks, onion, parsley, bay leaf, and a few slices of lemon.

5. Cover the fish and keep it refrigerated while the vegetables are cooking.

6. Once the vegetables are cooked, remove the baking dish from the oven and place the fish on top. Drizzle the fish with a generous amount of olive oil and add a small glass of water.

7. Place the dish back into the oven and bake the fish for 30 minutes using the same oven temperature.

8. Once the fish is cooked, carefully transfer it to a serving dish. Use a fish knife to remove the skin and gently scoop off the flesh, being careful to remove any small bones.

9. Serve the fish on plates with the vegetable garnish.

TIP

• In the second step you can pour white wine instead of water over the fish.