Serves 2 to 4
Whole fish can be baked in the oven for similarly tasty results. Each time architect Duccio Ermenegildo comes to visit Martha’s Vineyard, he makes some great meals featuring whole fish. This preparation of whole fluke baked with ginger, scallions, and herbs with a little white wine was a favorite. Call ahead to your fish market to order fluke. Ask them to gut the fish and remove the fins.
- 2 whole fluke, cleaned, scaled, and prepped from fish market
- 1 or 2 heads of fennel, with greens attached
- 2 to 3 scallions
- Fresh ginger
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Olive oil
- 1 cup white wine
- Caper Herb Sauce (see recipe below)
1. Cut the green fonds from the fennel bulbs and place the greens on a baking sheet with sides. Reserve the bulbs for another use. Lay the fluke on top of the greens.
2. Thinly slice the scallions. Peel the ginger and cut off four thin slices. Cut each slice of ginger into matchsticks. Drizzle olive oil over the fish. Place some ginger, scallions, and parsley into the small cavity and along the top of the fish, as pictured at left.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the wine over both the fish and the fennel and bake for about 20 minutes. It will be flaky and white when done and read about 140 to 145 degrees on a thermometer.
4. Serve each fish on a separate plate and let the diners remove the fish off the bones.
Caper Herb Sauce
Makes about 1 cup
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 to 2 tablespoons capers
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Whisk the olive oil, parsley, and capers together. Pass at the table to spoon over the fish.
