Orange and fennel sea bream recipe

This baked whole sea bream makes a delicious supper for two and is really quick and easy to prepare. Sea bream has firm white flesh with a succulent flavour and cooking it whole keeps the flesh lovely and moist. To add extra flavour, place a couple of thin slices of orange and some fennel fronds inside the fish cavity. Serve straight from the dish with crusty bread and a lightly dressed green salad.

Ingredients

• 1 small orange, thinly sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 1 red onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped (fronds reserved for garnish)
• 1 large sea bream (about 750g weight) gutted
• 300ml white wine
• 2tbsp olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Lightly oil a shallow ovenproof dish and arrange the orange, tomato and onion slices in the dish with the chopped fennel.
2. Place the sea bream on top and pour over the white wine and olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 mins. Remove the foil, baste the fish with some of the juices in the dish and return to the oven, uncovered, for a further 10-15 mins until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. Serve garnished with the reserved fennel sprigs.