River Cafe’s whole roasted fish with potatoes (Pesce intero al forno)

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for whole roasted fish with potatoes by Ruth Rogers from London's River Cafe.

Serves 4

Prep

20M

Cook

50M

Total

1H 10M

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“When roasting a whole fish, the best types to choose are wild sea bass, large bream, red mullet and John Dory,” says Ruth Rogers.

Ingredients

8 large waxy potatoes, peeled and quartered

60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

3-4 oregano sprigs, leaves picked from half

2 lemons (skin on: 1 cut into 1cm pieces; 1 thinly sliced), plus wedges to serve

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 John Dory or sea bream (about 2kg)

150 ml white wine, such as pinot bianco, verdicchio or vermentino

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 250C (or as high as possible). Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add potato, cook until just tender (5 minutes), then drain and transfer to a bowl. Add oil, most of the picked oregano leaves, lemon pieces and garlic, season to taste, mix well, then transfer to a roasting pan large enough to hold the fish snugly.

2.Stuff fish with oregano sprigs and lemon slices, then season inside and out. Place fish on potatoes, drizzle with oil and roast until fish is just cooked (20-28 minutes; see note). Remove fish and keep warm. Pour wine over potatoes and roast until potatoes are golden (10–15 minutes). Remove from heat and scatter with remaining oregano.

3.Lift flesh from fish and serve with potatoes, the juices from the pan and lemon wedges.

Ruth Rogers

Rose Gray

Recipe / styling by Lisa Featherby

Styling by Emma Knowles

Styling by Vanessa Austin