Actually, this meal is great anytime of the year, but for the festive season, we’ll present this healthy fish and fennel dish with a side of smashed baby potatoes – perfect for the whole family.
This dish serves six. You will need a large, wide oven tray for the fish dish.
Healthy Festive Season Baked Fish & Fennel Dish
What You Need:
- 4 large fennel bulbs, with fronds (keep some for garnishing at the end)
- 2 lemons
- 6 cloves garlic (skin on)
- 1 cup vegetarian stock
- 1 cup dry white wine (or extra vegetarian stock, plus 1 tbsp apple-cider vinegar)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 fish fillets (hake, kingklip, trout or salmon will work well), 150g to 200g each (or whole fish)
Method:
- 1/ Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
- 2/ Slice fennel bulbs into thick rings (or segments), reserving the fronds. Lay the slices in a large baking tray. Slice one lemon into thin rings and place the slices on the fennel with the garlic, then pour over the stock, white wine and olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, until the fennel has softened.
- 3/ Now, place the fish fillets (or whole fish) on top of the fennel. Squeeze lemon juice from the second lemon over the dish. Top with half the fronds. Return to the oven and bake for 10 to 20 minutes (depending on the fish and thickness of the fillets) or until the flesh is just cooked through. Slice through one fillet to test.
- 4/ Serve the fish with roasted fennel and garnish with remaining fresh fronds (squeeze the garlic out of the cloves and add one to each place, as desired).
Smashed Baby Potatoes
What You Need:
- 1kg baby potatoes (large ones halved)
- Olive oil
- Sea salt flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Italian parsley, for garnishing
- Lemon Juice
Method:
- 1/ Boil baby potatoes in a large pot until just tender.
- 2/ Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
- 3/ Drain potatoes and pat dry with a towel. Place onto a large baking tray (lined with baking paper) and gently press down on each potato so that it looks “smashed”.
- 4/ Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes and season.
- 5/ Bake until the edges are crispy and golden.
- 6/ Serve with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.