Provencal Herb Stuffed Whole Fish

PREP TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

Stuffing:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ⅔ cup of fresh spinach, chopped
• ⅔ cup of Swiss chard, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed and minced
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup full fat coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Fish:

• 1 whole fish (about 4 pounds), clean and dry
• ¼ cup olive oil (divided)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs of fresh dill
• 2 teaspoons sea salt (divided)
• 2 lemons, sliced
• ½ cup liquid (fish stock, vegetable stock, white wine)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large saute pan on medium heat, warm the olive oil and add all the other ingredients for the stuffing. Mix well.
2. Cover and cook for 8 minutes. The volume will reduce greatly.
3. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust the salt if needed. Cover and set aside for now.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
5. Rub the bottom of a large gratin dish with olive oil and scatter yellow onion, garlic, thyme, and dill over it. Sprinkle with 1 TSP of salt.
6. Stuff the fish with the stuffing, pushing well into the head and abdomen cavity.
7. Season the fish with 1 TSP of salt and place it in the gratin dish.
8. Wrap the tail in aluminum foil if the dish is too small for the fish!
9. Dribble the other half of olive oil over the fish, arrange a row of lemon slices, slightly overlapping, along the fish, from head to tail.
10. Pour the cooking liquid into the bottom of the dish.
11. Place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, basting often. Turn the oven heat up to 400 degrees F in the last 10 minutes.
12. Serve the fish hot out of the oven with a spoonful of stuffing and a side of arugula salad for each plate. Don’t forget to pour a spoonful of pan juices over each serving!
13. Bon appétit!

RECIPE AND IMAGE CREDIT:

AIP / Provençal Herb Stuffed Whole Fish – French Paleo Recipe