Last Updated on May 12, 2024
Fresh fish that can be cooked whole makes a great supper for one or two people. Quick to prepare and cook, nutritious and full of flavour, Sea bream is the perfect option to cook whole in my air fryer. It’s more rounded than sea bass so it fits better on the grill making it an easy choice. This method of cooking whole fish would work perfectly with sea bass too. And, if you want to cook several fish for a larger group, you could easily use your oven and cook the fish in exactly the same way. One of the nicest things about cooking whole sea bream is that you don’t need to foil wrap it, just make sure it is seasoned well and has a good coating of oil. The fish has thick enough skin to mean that it won’t spoil and instead, you’ll get a lovely intense flavour. What better way to use up some of the wild garlic butter?
I believe that this whole sea bream is Black Bream. It was described to me as ‘wild sea bream’ and there are a few species that could take that description. The most common in the UK are gilt head bream and black bream, two distinct species of sea bream, each with specific characteristics and habitats. In terms of physical appearance Gilt Head Bream typically have a golden-yellow stripe running between their eyes, which is where they get their name. They have a sleek, oval-shaped body with silvery scales. Black Bream is characterized by a deep, compressed body and dark colouration, ranging from greyish-black to brownish-green. Both are commonly found in the sea around the UK and both are highly prized for their delicious flesh.
You’ll need a fish that weighs somewhere between 400g and 600g for one person and about 800g to 900g for 2 people. It sounds like a lot, but remember, you won’t be eating the head or the bones.
To cook sea bream whole in the oven is very simple.
First, clean your fish and pat it dry with a clean teatowel or paper towels.
Remove the fins with a pair of scissors and scrape off any remaining scales. If you like, you can remove the head at this point too.
You’ll need to cut three deep slashes across the body of the fish.
Season the fish well with salt and pepper, then use a seasoned butter to fill the slashes and in the cavity of the sea bream. You could use garlic butter of some sort as I am doing here. Then top the fish with slices of lemon. This is a recipe that you can really make your own – for example, how about using chilli butter and lime or tarragon butter with lemon and tomatoes. It’s all about finding the flavour combination that works best for you.
Put the whole sea bream into the airfryer at 190C on a roast setting and set the timer for 20 minutes. You’ll want the internal temperature of the fish to reach 63C and the fish to be easy to flake. I like to remove the lemon slices and top the fish with more herb butter for the last five minutes before serving. If you prefer you could melt the remaining herb butter and serve it in a small jug on the side.
I like this kind of dish served with simple sides – a plain green salad or steamed vegetables and some boiled baby potatoes. Rice also works well.
Here’s a printed recipe for how to cook whole sea bream with wild garlic butter. I’ve written the recipe up for 1 person – if you are using a larger fish, then adjust the cooking time – about 30 minutes should be long enough for an 800g fish. And, if you are serving squeamish diners, then you can fillet and skin the fish before you plate up!
Whole Sea Bream with Wild Garlic Butter
Equipment
- 1 air fryer large enough to take your whole fish - or you can cook this in the oven
Ingredients
- 50 grams wild garlic butter see my recipe link
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 400 grams whole sea bream
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 small lemon sliced
Instructions
- Clean your fish and pat dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel
- Remove any remaining scales and fins from the fish. If you like, remove the head
- Cut three deep slashes diagonally across the body of the sea bream.
- Turn the fish and repeat on the other side
- Add a quarter of the softened wild garlic butter into the slashes on both sides of the fish.
- Season the fish cavity and skin with salt and pepper then pop in another quarter of the wild garlic butter
- Put the fish onto the air fryer plate and brush with olive oil
- Top the fish with sliced lemon
- Check the internal temperature of the fish is at 63C and the fish is nicely flaky
- Top the fish with the remaining butter and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Serve with the remaining half of the lemon cut into wedges
The fish was perfectly cooked and the wild garlic butter added a lovely depth of flavor. It was a simple yet impressive dish that I will definitely make again.
Wih the perfect Garlic Butter seasoning and the healthy cooking option definitely makes this dish unique and festive. I love such meal option anyday.
We love sea bream and this was our first time cooking it in our air fryer. Turned out wonderfully. We’ll be making this again. Thanks!
This dish was a real showstopper the garlic adds the best flavor. My picky kids don’t really enjoy fish, but they love this one. Thank you for such a delicious recipe.