3lbStriped Bass or Red Snapper- Fresh Whole Fish - Clean and Scaled
1-2bunchesGreen Onions- Half Minced, Half Left Long
1/4CupParsley- Finely Chopped
2TbspSalted Capers- Rinsed and Finely Chopped
2TbspSalted Capers- Rinsed and Whole
2Garlic Cloves- Minced
2Garlic Cloves- Smashed
1/2tspCrushed Red Peppers
1Lemon- Zested, reserve lemon for roasting
2TbspOlive Oil- Plus More for Rubbing
8SmallArtichokes- Loose (optional)
1/2lbYellow "Marble" Potatoes (New Potatoes)- Washed
1/2CupCastelevetrano Olives
1BasketGrape Tomatoes
Kosher or Coarse Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
Preparing the Fish
Choose a fresh fish with clear eyes and vibrant skin. Make sure the fish has been scaled.
Make 5 parallel 3-inch-long slashes on each side of the bass or snapper, slicing almost through to the bone. Lightly season the fish with salt.
Chop the parsley, green onions, capers, minced garlic cloves, red pepper, and lemon zest. Mix together with a large pinch of salt to create a paste. Transfer the paste to a small bowl and stir in the oil. Fill the slashes on the fish with the paste. Rub the fish all over with olive oil. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
Stuff the fish's belly cavity with a handful of long green onions lengthwise for extra flavor before putting the fish in the pan.
Preparing the Vegetables
In the meantime, peel the tough outer leaves of the small artichokes until you have worked your way down to the tender yellow leaves. Trim up the bottoms removing any of the dark areas.
Boil the artichokes and the marble (new) potatoes in salted boiling water for 15 minutes until fork tender.
Cooking and Finishing the Fish
Check the temperature on your Forno Bravo wood burning oven, find an area on the oven floor from around 550°F-650°F.
Transfer the fish to the cast iron pan. Depending on the size of your pan and the size of the fish, you can keep the fish stable by (1) Splay the belly flaps and set a crumpled foil ball under the tail, or (2) Arch the fish around the side of the pan, spine up. Roast the fish for approximately 10 minutes. (The skin will begin to sizzle and shrink.)
Pull the pan from the oven and add the smashed garlic cloves, whole capers, artichokes, potatoes, grape tomatoes, olives, and lemon halves to the other side of the pan (next to the fish.) Season with a pinch of salt. Drizzle with some additional olive oil. Return the pan to the oven and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the flesh on the fish just flakes (medium rare.)
Remove the pan from the oven and season the food with cracked black pepper.
Transfer the fish to a platter. Cut along the spine on both sides. Using 2 forks, lift the fillets off the bones, and serve with the roasted vegetables. Squeeze some of the roasted lemon onto the fish for brightness.
Notes
(1) This recipe can be made with either Striped Bass, Red Snapper, or Cod. The key is to find the freshest fish possible for the best flavor and texture.(2) Locally sourced, fresh vegetables really make this dish sing. Artichokes add a nice earthiness and variety to the meal, but if artichokes are out of season or not available, they can be skipped.(3) Castelevetrano Olives are green olives from southwestern Sicily. They have a buttery-sweet flavor and a crisp-meaty texture. They have a mild taste similar to that of a black California olive, but with a bit more bite. They can be cooked in the pan with the rest of the vegetables and will "pop," or be added at the end, for a different texture option.
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