three homemade baked sea bream recipes for your Christmas Eve dinner

As dinner approaches on December 24, the search for options to create a delicious and healthy menu is increasingly present in many homes. On this date, the long-awaited Christmas Eve, family and friends gather to share a special dinner and enjoy a Christmas evening. At each table, the dishes served become a truly delicious bite, also accompanied by starters and appetizers that set the stage for the main course. At this point, the classic question arises: what are we having for dinner this year?

You can always resort to the great classics, such as lamb or beef, but you can also open the door to other options and opt for fish, a different, light and surprisingly tasty alternative. In this sense, sea bream presents itself as a magnificent choice, since it allows multiple preparations, grilled, grilled or barbecued, simmered, steamed or, as in this case, baked.

This last technique will give a particularly tender and juicy texture to the meat, and will also allow it to be accompanied by vegetables, potatoes or even enjoyed alone, highlighting all its flavor. On the other hand, sea bream stands out for its excellent nutritional value. Its meat is an important source of potassium and has a high content of phosphorus and selenium.

In fact, a single serving covers about 71% of the recommended selenium intake for men and 90% for physically active women. Its contribution of vitamin B12, as well as niacin or vitamin B3 and vitamin B6, also deserves special mention. As for fat-soluble vitamins, sea bream is an excellent source of vitamin D, as highlighted by the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN).

Sea bream with potatoes

For this recipe we need about forty minutes from preparation to cooking. For four people, you will need to obtain the following ingredients:

To begin, we peel and wash the potatoes carefully to remove all traces of soil. Then we cut them into slices of uniform thickness, which will help them cook evenly. On the other hand, heat plenty of oil in a pan and, when very hot, add the potatoes carefully to avoid splashing. We add a pinch of salt and fry them gently, until they begin to soften without taking on color. Then we remove them and let them rest on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 degrees. It is essential that the sea breams are perfectly clean, without viscera or fins, to facilitate their preparation and obtain a purer flavor. In a baking dish, spread a layer of potatoes and, on top, place the sea bream, previously seasoned to enhance its natural flavor. Then we drizzle everything with a light drizzle of olive oil and bake for about 20 minutes, or until we check that the fish is well cooked.

At the same time, in a small pan, brown the chopped garlic clove as well as the chili pepper, allowing both to release their aroma. Next, we add the lemon juice, creating a light sauce with a spicy, lemony touch. Finally, when the sea bream is ready, we take it out of the oven and cover it with the hot mixture from the pan. Serve immediately to enjoy its juicy texture and contrast of flavors.

Sea bream with vegetables

For this preparation we will reserve approximately half an hour. For four people we need, in addition to the sea bream:

To begin, preheat the oven to 190 degrees, so that it reaches the appropriate temperature before introducing the ingredients. Then we wash the peppers, remove the tops and seeds and cut them into thin strips so that we can cook them in small cubes. Next, we grate a lemon and squeeze its juice, making sure that no seeds fall out.

In a dish suitable for the oven, we distribute all the vegetables as well as a few sprigs of rosemary and season them with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, we place the sea bream on the bed of vegetables and add a light drizzle of oil, as well as the lemon juice and zest, which will provide freshness and a pleasant touch of citrus.

Finally, we put the tray in the oven for around thirty minutes. After this time, the sea bream will have a nice golden hue and the vegetables will be tender.

Sea bream in salt

In total, it takes about half an hour from preparation to cooking. Here are the ingredients for four servings:

To begin with, the bream must be perfectly clean, without viscera or fins, although retaining the scales. The first thing we will do is preheat the oven to 200 degrees so that it reaches the appropriate temperature. Then, in a large bowl, mix the coarse salt with the fine salt until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.

Then we add half of the water and work the mixture with our hands. Once absorbed, add the rest of the water and continue stirring until the texture is compact. Then, on a baking tray, spread a base of about a centimeter of salt with the palm of your hand and place the fish on it. Finally, we cover the sea bream with the remaining salt, pressing lightly so that it is well sealed and, later, easy to remove. We only leave the tail and head area visible.

Once everything is prepared, put the tray in the oven and let the sea bream cook for around twenty minutes. A good sign to check if this is done is to look at the eye of the bream; when it turns completely white, the fish is ready. It is recommended to never open the oven, to avoid sudden temperature changes which could affect cooking.

Once the scheduled time has elapsed, we take out the tray and remove the salt crust as quickly as possible. Using a knife, gently break the edge of the hardened layer and lift it without difficulty. Then we transfer the piece to a tray to bring it to the table. When you taste it, you will notice that the skin almost peels off by itself, revealing tender, juicy meat with an impeccable texture.