Ingredients for Baked Lemon Sea Bream
- 3 sea bream (whole, cleaned)
- 3 lemon slices
- 2 dessert spoons salt
- 2 teaspoons ground red pepper
- Half a tea glass of vegetable oil (about 50 ml / 3½ tbsp)
How to Make Baked Lemon Sea Bream
Place 3 lemon slices on a plate. Cut each in half through the middle so you have 6 half-moon slices.
In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons of ground red pepper with half a tea glass of vegetable oil. Mix well with a brush or spoon until evenly blended.
Lay the 3 cleaned and rinsed sea bream on a cutting board.
Score 2 diagonal cuts on one side of each fish and 1 cut on the other side, cutting down to the bone.
Brush the pepper oil generously over both sides of each fish, working a little into the cavity as well.
Season both sides and the inside of each fish with salt, then brush over one more layer of oil.
Tuck the lemon slices into the score marks on each fish, fitting them in snugly.
Arrange the fish on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) until golden and cooked through. Serve immediately while hot.
Cooking Tips
Fresh fish makes all the difference. Look for bright eyes, vivid red gills, and firm flesh. Ask your fishmonger to clean and scale the fish — it saves time and mess.
Always preheat your oven to a high temperature — 190°C–200°C (375°F–400°F). The blast of heat sets the skin quickly and keeps the flesh juicy inside.
Depending on size, the fish will need 30–35 minutes. They're ready when the skin is deeply golden and the flesh pulls away from the bone easily with a fork.
Crispy oven-roasted potatoes are the classic partner for baked sea bream. Find the recipe at our Crispy Oven Potatoes page.
A squeeze of fresh lemon and a few basil leaves just before serving brighten the whole dish. You can also slip a bay leaf or two into the cavity alongside the lemon slices.
Place a sprig of rosemary on the baking tray — it keeps the fish smell from lingering in your kitchen.
