Today I will explain how to prepare a delicious baked sea bream with potato crust. A foolproof fish main course to impress your guests. Sea bream is a fish that is easy to find and has an affordable price.
If you like sea bream, don’t forget to check out the recipe
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 280.77 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 19.55 (g) of which sugars 2.32 (g)
- Proteins 33.21 (g)
- Fat 8.16 (g) of which saturated 2.04 (g)of which unsaturated 4.12 (g)
- Fibers 2.37 (g)
- Sodium 199.98 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 2 people:
- 1 sea bream (about 7-10 oz)
- 7 oz potatoes
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste thyme (optional)
Tools:
- 1 Knife
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Mandoline
Preparation:
Here are the steps and tips to make delicious sea bream fillets with a crispy potato crust.
For the best results, I recommend using a whole sea bream and filleting it before baking. You can ask your trusted fishmonger to fillet the sea bream for you or follow my instructions to fillet the fish.
Using a knife or mandoline, slice the potato into rounds with a thickness of 0.04-0.08 inches and soak them in cold water. This prevents them from browning and helps them stay softer during cooking.
Tip: Keeping the potatoes in water also allows you to prepare the fillets and assemble the dish just before baking without having to rush these tasks at the last second.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray, grease it, and begin arranging a uniform layer of potatoes the same size as the fillets you will prepare.
The oil prevents the potatoes from sticking to the parchment paper, making it easy to remove the fillet along with the potato crust.
Once the base is complete, place the sea bream fillet with the skin side down on top. Add salt, oil, and some thyme leaves to taste for flavor.
I prefer to use a drizzle of thyme-infused oil instead of leaves because not everyone likes them.
Cover the fillet with potatoes so that it is covered by an even layer.
Cover the fillet with potatoes so that it is covered by an even layer.
Bake in a preheated oven with fan mode at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. For a crispy crust, add some oil on the outer part so that during cooking it fries the potatoes a bit, making them crispier.
The potatoes and sea bream have the same cooking time. When the potatoes are cooked, the sea bream fillet will be too!
If the potatoes are too pale, cook with the oven on grill mode at 480°F for 5 minutes.
Serve the hot sea bream fillets with potato crust on a serving dish with a drizzle of oil and a grind of fresh pepper (to taste).
Here is the final result, tasty, delicate, and crispy.
Your sea bream with potato crust is ready!
Plating Tips:
A simple presentation to not go wrong, the dish doesn’t require a side dish given the presence of potatoes. If you want to complete the presentation, add a salad for a touch of green and a fresh note.
Wine Pairing for Sea Bream with Potato Crust:
I recommend a soft and aromatic wine like a Fiano d’Avellino. With its fragrance and taste, this fresh wine will highlight the flavors of the sea bream and potatoes.
