Few dishes conjure up the flavor and feeling of dining al fresco in Europe like a whole fish with deliciously crispy skin. Paired with a glass of rosé wine and some potatoes or vegetables, this crispy whole dorada transports you to a sun-drenched taverna by the sea!
Several years ago, I was on an island hopping trip up the coast of Croatia. We stopped for lunch at an island called Šipan where they served us whole fresh fish directly off the grill with a side of fries. After a short lesson on deboning, I tasted one of the best fish I have ever had. The flesh was both mild and flavorful and the real star of the show was the delicious, crispy skin! This crispy whole dorada was Mediterranean eating at its best—super simple food of excellent quality, needing nothing to enhance its flavor.
Since then, crispy whole dorada has been one of my favorite meals in Greece, Italy, and Portugal. You might see it on the menu as doroda, dorade, or sea bream. Whatever the name, when you see it, order it!
If you don’t have a plane ticket for Europe, you can easily recreate this crispy whole dorada at home. The hardest part is sourcing the fresh fish. The freshness and quality are key, and can be difficult to find if you live in the Midwest like I do. If you have a city market, like Findlay in Cincinnati, chances are good that you may have a gem of a fishmonger like Sen by Kiki. Also check out any international grocery stores with fish counters. Whenever you buy fish, ask how fresh it is and check that the eyes are bright and that the fish doesn’t smell fishy. It should smell like the sea! Ask for the fish ready to cook, which means gutted and scaled with any sharp fins removed. Dorada that weighs about a pound is the easiest and fasted to cook.
Once you have found your dorada, the rest is easy–even for the most novice cook!
The key to crispy skin is to dry the fish as much as possible. Pat the whole fish dry with paper towels, then make a few diagonal slits to the bone on both sides. Salt it liberally and place in a colander for about 20 minutes to draw out as much moisture as possible. After that time, remove the fish, brush off as much salt as you can, then dry well with paper towels again. Place a thin slice of lemon, a smashed clove of garlic, and fresh aromatics such as parsley or dill into the cavity. Now you are ready to cook!
Put a tablespoon of high smoke point oil–such as avocado or grapeseed–into a cast iron skillet and preheat over medium-high heat. Lay the fish in the pan and press down on it for several seconds to maximize the skin contact with the skillet. Don’t touch the fish for 3 minutes before flipping. Cook on the other side for about the same amount of time. Remove your fish from the pan and take a picture to amaze any of your friends who weren’t lucky enough to get a dinner invitation!!!
Once your guests have oohed and ahhed over your masterpiece, remove the items from the cavity. You can then either debone the fish yourself and place the pieces on a serving platter or have everyone go to town on their own whole fish. (A 1 lb. fish is an individual serving.) This video will help with deboning education! Don’t expect to get it perfect, there will be bones involved, so eat carefully and pick with your fingers. This is delicious, messy, business! Be like the Croatians and serve with fries, or like the Portuguese and serve with a bowl of whole boiled new potatoes and a green salad. If you speak any foreign languages, this is the time to bring out the deliziosa or ukusan or even υπέροχος!
Toast with your rose, enjoy the taste of staycation, and make sure to show the picture of your crispy whole dorada to your fishmonger. I guarantee they will be super impressed!
Buen provecho!