How To Cook Sea Bream

[Stargazer]

I bought a fresh sea bream yesterday but have no idea how to cook it. The last time I cooked sea bass I overcooked it and every mouthfull was full of horrible small white bones which were impossible to pick out before picking up a forkful. This came from Morrions and is "prepared" to cook it says on the pack.

[Buenchico]

Morrisons have free leaflets telling you how to cook their fish but this is about as simple as it gets (and has excellent reviews):
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5169/steamed-sea-bream-in-a-paper-parcel

[boxtops]

Good link, chris - and with any fish, if it's big enough to bone before I cook it (or to take the bone out as soon as it's cooked) that's what I like to do.

[Buenchico]

PS: I usually just bake whole fish like that in lightly-oiled foil but the figures quoted in the link (Gas Mark 6/200C for 15 minutes) still apply. [I might cook for a little closer to 20 minutes, but definitely no longer].

[Stargazer]

Thank you for your answers. I will pick p a leaflet next time I am in Morrisons. I have not got any of the herbs but I am going to bake it in buttered foil for 15 - 20 mins and hope it is not too boney.

[tiggerblue10]

I bought some sea bass last week and steamed it in a foil parcel with spring onion, coriander, white wine, lime juice, and some sliced cooked new potatoes. I cooked it for about 15 mins and it came out just cooked and not rubbery. Still had a few bones in it although I'm not too bothered about them.

[DTCwordfan]

Nice one here for you - don't overcook it!

Baked sea bass with roasted garlic, rosemary and chilli

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Put a sheet tinfoil, about 70 - 80cm long on to a work surface and cover with a matching layer of parchment paper.

Fold over each edge so that the foil and parchment are secured together at the edges to make an envelope.......

Put a couple of sprigs of rosemary into the cavity of the fish and a couple in the centre of the parchment. Lay the fish on the parchment and crumble the chilli over the top. Black pepper and a tad of seasalt to taste.

Lightly crush the garlic cloves by putting the flat side of a knife on top and giving it a thump with your hand.

Strew the garlic over the fish - a little more seasoning.

Lift up the edges of the foil to keep everything in and add the olive oil and wine - make sure the fish is basted.

Wrap the fish in the foil making a loose but tightly sealed parcel

Place it on a roasting tray and bake for 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully undo the bag, folding back the sides to make the fish easy to get at.

Squeeze a little lemon over the top and serve, use the liquid to offer a little juice with the fish..

Serve with some new potatoes or boiled potatoes or veg like french beans and samphire, keep on the crunchier side of things......

[DTCwordfan]

By the way, a pair of tweezers, or in my case a pair of pliers dedicated to the kitchen for removing bones as part of the fish prep is most useful. If it is properly filleted by the fishmonger, they should be minimal if at all.....

[Stargazer]

Thanks everyone. I have cooked and eaten it but again tiny bones ruined the experience and this time I was extra careful to remove the skin carefully so as not to disturb the small bones too much.

[LyndaB]

I dislike bream because of the bones, I find the same is true ofred mullet too. Shame, because they taste fantastic. I buy sea bass fillets from ASDA, they are lovely and very easy to cook.

I would cook bream by putting lemon slices in the cavity, wrapping in foil and baking for no longer than 10 mins. No advice as to the bones, unfortunately