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Besugo a la donostiarra

Name: Besugo a la donostiarra
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1200 g whole sea bream, scaled and gutted; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp olive oil; 100 ml olive oil; 5 cloves garlic; 1 small dried red chilli; 2 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar; 1 tbsp chopped parsley; 4 lemon wedges

Besugo a la donostiarra: San Sebastián's Christmas Eve sea bream with a sizzling garlic and vinegar dressing

Features:

High protein Dairy free

Cuisine:

Spanish

For many San Sebastián families, Christmas Eve dinner isn't complete without a whole sea bream, roasted or grilled and finished with a refrito: hot olive oil with sliced garlic, dried chilli and a splash of vinegar poured over at the table. The traditional fish is red sea bream (besugo), but gilt-head bream works well. A common mistake is letting the garlic go dark brown, which makes the dressing bitter; take it off when it is pale gold. Chef's tip: cut a few slashes into the thick part of the fish so it cooks evenly and the dressing soaks in.

Total time: 40 min
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 4

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Ingredients

Serves4

For the fish

2 ⅝ lb whole sea bream, scaled and guttedor 2 smaller fish
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil

For the refrito

½ cup olive oil
5 cloves garlicthinly sliced
1 small dried red chillibroken in half
2 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar
1 tbsp chopped parsley

To serve

4 lemon wedges (optional)

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What you'll need

Baking tray

Spices & pantry

Fresh ingredients (3)

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Method

0/5 done

Step 1: Heat the oven to 400°F. Pat the 2 ⅝ lb whole sea bream, scaled and gutted dry, make 3 deep slashes on each side and season inside and out with 1 tsp salt.
5 min
Step 2: Lay it on an oiled roasting tray, brush with 2 tbsp olive oil and roast for 20–25 minutes, until the eye is white, the skin is crisp and the flesh near the bone is opaque and lifts away easily (145°F at the thickest part).
25 min
Step 3: A few minutes before the fish is ready, warm ½ cup olive oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add 5 cloves garlic and 1 small dried red chilli and fry for 1–2 minutes, until the garlic is pale gold and smells nutty.
2 min
Step 4: Take the pan off the heat and carefully add 2 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar, standing back as it spits. Swirl and pour over the fish straight away, then scatter with 1 tbsp chopped parsley.
1 min
Step 5: Bring the tray to the table and lift fillets off the bone, spooning over the dressing from the tray.
3 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 380 kcal
Protein: 36 g
Carbs: 1 g
Fat: 25 g
Fibre: 0 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does besugo a la donostiarra take?: About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it gluten free?: Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of garlic?: ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
What can I use instead of small dried red chilli?: ½ tsp chilli flakes per chilli.

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