Corvina al Horno (Chilean Baked Sea Bass)

About This Recipe

Corvina (Cilus gilberti) is the prized white-fleshed sea bass of Chile's Pacific coast — a large, mild-flavored fish with firm, meaty flesh that holds together during baking and flakes into silky chunks. Chilean coastal cooking has elevated corvina al horno to an art form: the fish is scored, marinated briefly with olive oil, garlic and lemon, then roasted on a bed of tomatoes, onion, fresh herbs and white wine that steams the cavity from below while the exposed skin browns and crisps above. The technique of baking a whole fish is inherently forgiving — the bone conducts heat into the center of the fish evenly, keeping the flesh moist near the spine while the thinner flanks cook through. A 1.5 kg corvina serves two generously as a main course and needs nothing more than the pan juices, reduced slightly over the stovetop with a knob of butter, as a sauce. Corvina is found in South American fish markets; outside Chile, sea bass (European or Chilean sea bass), red snapper, grouper or branzino make excellent substitutes. The key is using a fish in the 1–1.5 kg range — large enough to feed two from one fish, small enough to cook through evenly in a standard home oven within 25 minutes.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 1whole corvina or sea bass(1–1.5 kg, scaled and gutted)
• 4 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
• 5 clovesgarlic(3 minced, 2 sliced)
• 1lemon(half sliced, half for juice)
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 3 mediumripe tomatoes(sliced 1 cm thick)
• 1 mediumwhite onion(thinly sliced)
• 0.5 cupdry white wine
• 1 bunchfresh parsley or cilantro(for the cavity and garnish)
• 2 tbspunsalted butter(for the pan sauce)

Instructions

1. 1

   Score and season the fish

   Preheat oven to 220°C. Pat fish dry inside and out. Score three diagonal cuts 2 cm deep on each side of the fish. Rub all over with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper and oregano, pressing the seasoning into the cuts.

   Scoring the fish allows the marinade to penetrate the thickest part of the flesh and helps it cook evenly.

2. 2

   Stuff the cavity

   Fill the cavity of the fish with lemon slices, sliced garlic and a handful of fresh parsley or cilantro.

3. 3

   Prepare the baking dish

   Spread sliced onion and tomato in a single layer in a large baking dish. Pour the white wine over. Lay the fish on top of the vegetables.

4. 4

   Bake

   Bake at 220°C for 25–30 minutes. The fish is done when the flesh at the thickest part (near the backbone) is opaque and flakes when pressed with a fork. The skin should be golden and slightly crisped.

5. 5

   Make the pan sauce

   Remove fish to a warm plate. Pour the pan juices and softened vegetables into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and reduce 2 minutes. Whisk in butter. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste for salt.

6. 6

   Serve

   Bring the fish to the table whole, fillet tableside if desired, and spoon the pan sauce and vegetables over each portion. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

Variations

• •

  Corvina con aceitunas: add 20 black olives and capers to the tomato-onion base for a Mediterranean touch.

• •

  Corvina con salsa verde: serve with a fresh herb sauce of parsley, garlic, capers and olive oil instead of the pan sauce.

Storage

Baked fish should be eaten the day it is made — leftover fish is edible refrigerated for 1 day but loses its texture. Flake leftover fish into a salad or fish cakes rather than reheating whole.

Frequently Asked Questions