Senegalese Baked Fish Recipe
Ingredients
- Fish: 1 large whole fish (such as Dorade, Dentex or Sea Bass), gutted and scaled.
- The Marinade (Nokoss):
- 3 to 4 cloves of garlic.
- A handful of fresh parsley.
- 1 green pepper (chopped).
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper.
- 1 tablespoon of mustard.
- 1 stock cube (optional).
- The juice of a lemon.
- 3 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil.
- The vegetable bed:
- 2 potatoes (cut into thin slices).
- 1 onion (cut into rings).
- 1 red or yellow pepper (sliced).
- A few cherry tomatoes or tomato slices.
- Seasoning: Salt and a pinch of thyme or Provence herbs.
Instructions
1. Prepare the marinade:
- In a mortar or blender, combine the garlic, parsley, green pepper, stock and black pepper. Mash everything to obtain a thick paste.
- Add the mustard, lemon juice and oil to loosen the dough.
2. Cut and marinate the fish:
- Using a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 deep diagonal cuts on both sides of the fish.
- Rub the marinade deep into the cuts, inside the fish and all over the skin.
- Sala's tip: Let the fish marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) in the refrigerator for maximum flavor.
3. Prepare the baking dish:
- Lightly oil a large baking sheet or baking dish.
- Arrange the potato and onion slices at the bottom. This serves as a “support” for the fish, keeps it from sticking and allows the vegetables to absorb all the juices.
- Season the vegetables with a little salt and oil.
4. Cooking:
- Place the marinated fish on the bed of vegetables.
- Decorate the top with the rest of the peppers and the tomatoes.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil to retain moisture during the first half of cooking.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
- Final step: Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes to let the skin become slightly crispy and the vegetables brown.
5. Service:
- Serve hot, directly in the dish. This dish goes beautifully with white rice, vermicelli or simply a fresh green salad.
Why it works:
By cooking the fish on a bed of potatoes and onions, you create a “complete meal” in one dish. The potatoes soak up the lemon and garlic juices from the fish, making them incredibly flavorful.