GREEK-STYLE OVEN-BAKED SEA BREAM RECIPE (TSIPOURA)

Greek-Style Oven-Baked Sea Bream looks so fancy but it’s actually a super simple recipe. A tasty and healthy fish recipe with extra virgin olive oil and lemon to help you easily follow the Mediterranean Diet lifestyle.

Greek-Style Oven-Baked Sea Bream known as Tsipoura sto Fourno or Τσιπούρα στο Φούρνο in Greek (pronounced Tsi-POO-ra sto FOOR-no) is an extremely easy dish made in most Greek households. In Greek, “sto fourno” means “in the oven”, so any dish with this phrase means baked in the oven.

Tsipoura sto Fourno is one of my favourite Mediterranean Diet recipes because of its simplicity and delicious flavour. The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes consuming fish approximately 2-3 times per week, and the health benefits of this are unmatched. Numerous studies have shown that fish is a heart-healthy, high-protein alternative to red meat and has added benefits of healthy fats that may protect brain health.

Rounding up the rest of this recipe are just a few kitchen-staple ingredients that are the pillars of Greek cooking, which are equally nutritious: olive oil, lemon, and oregano (plus a pinch of sea salt for taste). Eating our Greek-Style Oven-Baked Sea Bream recipe regularly can help contribute to an overall healthy lifestyle.

WHAT IS SEA BREAM?

Sea Bream is one of the most popular fish consumed in Greece. It is a saltwater fish that lives in the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic Ocean. The meat is lean and has a lovely, mild, slightly sweet taste. It’s available year-round due to farming, making it more affordable than wild-caught fish.

One small or medium fish can easily feed one person and a large can be be for two. The two traditional ways of preparing Sea Bream are barbequing it on a grill and baking it in the oven. I prefer baking as there isn’t a significant difference in the flavour but there’s less hands-on cooking time.

Whole fish takes little effort to prepare but it’s very impressive to serve. When buying whole fish, either fresh or frozen, the scales and organs of the fish are often removed. After cooking, it is easy to remove the bones by butterflying the fish (cutting it open down the middle). The majority of the bones are in the spine and a few larger white bones need to be carefully removed. After discarding the head and fins, you are left with two delicate fillets.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF SEA BREAM:

• Low in calories
• High in protein
• Low mercury risk
• Rich in Omega 3 fatty acids
• Good source of B-complex vitamins, calcium, selenium, and phosphorous

WHY YOU’LL LOVE GREEK-STYLE OVEN-BAKED SEA BREAM RECIPE

• Delicious – Baking whole fish in the oven preserves its juices, making the fish mouth-watering tender. Sea Bream has a mild, slightly sweet taste and requires little seasoning.
• Easy – There is little hands-on prep to make this impressive meal.
• Healthy – Fish is one of the cornerstones of the Mediterranean Diet and baking fish in the oven is one of the healthiest ways to prepare it. Eating it regularly as a substitute for other animal-based meats is a heart-healthy way to get protein and omega fatty acids.

INGREDIENTS FOR OVEN-BAKED TSIPOURA

Exact portion amounts are omitted from this recipe because it depends on how many fish you prepare and it’s one of those recipes that allows you to play with the seasoning to match your taste preference.

• Sea Bream, cleaned and scales removed
• Extra virgin olive oil, a drizzle
• Dried oregano, a pinch
• Fresh lemon, slices and freshly squeezed juice
• Fresh parsley (optional), a few sprigs
• Garlic (optional), peeled
• Sea salt, a dash

HOW TO MAKE GREEK-STYLE OVEN-ROASTED SEA BREAM RECIPE

1. Preheat the oven to 200c.
2. Rinse the Sea Bream well, ensuring the skin and belly cavity are clean. Dry with absorbent paper.
3. Place the fish in an oven-proof dish (prefer glass) and season the inside and both sides of the outside with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a dash of sea salt, and a pinch of dried oregano. Fill the stomach cavity with optional seasoning such as a few sprigs of fresh parsley, a peeled whole garlic clove, and sliced lemon. Add some lemon slices to the top of the fish.
4. Add a small amount of water to the bottom of the dish.
5. Place in the oven and cook for approximately 25-30 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. Turning the fish is unnecessary as both sides cook evenly. Check to see if it is fully cooked by slightly opening the belly and checking that the flesh appears opaque and flakey and the juices are clear.
6. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. This resting time allows the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the fish, making it more tender and tasty. Remove the parsley, garlic, and lemon slices. Open the Greek-Style Oven-Baked Sea Bream carefully in the middle (butterfly-style), and remove the spine, bones, head, and fins.
7. Serve the fillets with additional drizzles of extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice or ladolemono sauce. Accompany with delicious sides such as steamed vegetables, salad, french fries, some crusty bread, and a glass or two of white wine and be in awe of the top chef that you are! Smile and Enjoy!

RECIPE NOTES

• If you are preparing more than one Tsipoura, try to buy fish that are the same size so they cook evenly and simultaneously.
• Many recipes suggest slicing the outer flesh before placing the fish in the oven. I have tried this but I don’t recommend it as it slightly dries out the meat and isn’t necessary.
• Keep an eye on the Tsipoura to ensure that it doesn’t overcook. Over-cooked fish will lose its natural moisture and have a dry and rubbery texture. The fish is done when the liquid in the belly cavity is clear and the flesh is white and opaque. It should flake easily with a fork.
• Let the fish rest outside the oven for 10 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute, making the meat mouth-watering soft.
• If Sea Bream is unavailable in your area, alternative fish for this recipe are Sea Bass or Red Snapper.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Greek-style whole fish is almost always served with either extra virgin olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice, or a sauce called ladolemono, which is a combination of these two premixed. To make ladolemono, the classic ratio is 1:3, meaning 1 part lemon juice and 3 parts extra virgin olive oil. For one Sea Bream combine 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt in a jar, and mix well with a hand blender or secure the lid and shake vigorously. Poor over the fillets right before serving.

Eating oven-baked fish is part of a healthy diet; and typically, healthy sides accompany the meal. In Greece, the most popular sides served alongside Tsipoura are:

• Boiled wild greens salad (Xorta)
• Steamed vegetables (Lahanika ston Atmo)
• Greek Lettuce Salad (Maroulosalata)

Make it a full-course meal and serve with salad, sides, and some bread to scoop up the remaining lemony oil on the plate. White wine is the preferred drink of choice to accompany white fish so enjoy a glass or two while indulging in the Mediterranean Diet.

ALLERGY INFORMATION FOR GREEK-STYLE OVEN-BAKED SEA BREAM RECIPE

Our Greek-Style Oven-Baked Sea Bream recipe is:

• Dairy-free
• Egg-free
• Nut-free
• Peanut-free
• Wheat-free
• Soy-free
• Sesame-free
• Crustacean-free
• Celery-free
• Mustard-free

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER TSIPOURA

Store leftover Tsipoura in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Warm up in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven.

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