Whole Fish with Citrus, Herbs & Ginger
- 3 pound whole fish such as snapper, pre-cleaned by the fish monger (scales and innards removed)
- ¼ cup extra virgin avocado oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 lemons, sliced into thin rounds
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 2 scallions, bulbs and greens sliced into thin rounds
- 1 tablespoon ginger, cut into matchsticks
- 2 Fresno chilies
- optional: naturally refined avocado oil for frying
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay whole fish on the parchment.
Generously season the entire fish (including the cavity) with avocado oil, salt and ground pepper. Then stuff the cavity with lemon, cilantro, scallion, ginger, and chilies/pink peppercorns. Scatter all of these same herbs and spices onto the top of the fish.
Let sit for 30-45 minutes at room temperature before cooking.
Preheat oven to 425.
Roast fish in the hot oven for about 30 minutes, or until tender and cooked through (cooking time will vary with the size and thickness of the fish). When done, the flesh of the fish should be moist and flake easily when lightly poked with a fork. Another way to check for doneness is to use a meat thermometer - the internal temperature should read 130 degrees Fahrenheit, (54-55 degrees Celsius)
*Keep in mind that this whole fish can also be cooked on the grill or deep fried in refined avocado oil, which works beautifully at very high heat.
serves 4