Whole roasted Bronzino with fennel, olives and lemon
2 fennel bulbs
1 Lemon
1 heads of garlic, cloves separated, skins on
5 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of oregano
2 bay leaves, each one broken in half
¼ cup olive oil
1 Bronzino, about 1 ¼ pound each, scaled and gutted, rinsed
and dried and head removed
1oz pound mixed olives
Salt + White pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 400f
2. Prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl and bring a pot of salted water to boil.
3. Trim the stem end of each fennel bulb and remove the outer layer. Cut each bulb in half and then into ½ inch slices.
4. Blanch for 5 minutes, drain, then transfer to the ice bath.
5. Drain and set aside.
6. Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of a baking dish and layer it with the fennel.
7. Season the fish on both sides and inside the cavity as well as the fennel in the baking dish with salt and white pepper.
8. Break the cloves of garlic apart and smash them leaving the skin on so they don't burn.
9. Stuff the cavity of the fish with a bay leaf, one clove of garlic, a sprig of oregano, a sprig of thyme, some slices of lemon and a piece or two of the fennel.
10. Add the rest to the pan of fennel.
11. Place the fish on top of the fennel and herbs and drizzle the whole thing with the rest of the olive oil.
12. Sprinkle the olives around the outside of the fish and bake at 400 for 20-25min depending on the size of the fish.
13. Once cooked, remove the filets from the bones and plate with some of the fennel, olives, lemons and herbs.
14. Finish with a squeeze of lemon.
