Baked fish with saffron butter and green olive salsa

Name: Baked fish with saffron butter and green olive salsa
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: small handful oregano sprigs*; 1 side of red emperor or snapper, about 800g, pin-boned; 100g unsalted butter; pinch saffron threads; 80ml dry white wine; ½ lemon, thinly sliced; sea salt and black pepper

Julia Busuttil Nishimura

November 11, 2022

Baked fish with saffron butter, lemon and green olive salsa.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

This is one of my favourite dishes to make when I have friends over. It's simple, delicate and never fails to impress. The combination of the butter with the lemon and saffron complements the fish's sweetness and the salty olive hit is a nice contrast. The lemon, once cooked, resembles preserved lemons and is added to the green olives and oregano to create a salsa to top the fish. If you prefer, you can use smaller individual fillets; just be sure to reduce the cooking time.

Ingredients

small handful oregano sprigs*
1 side of red emperor or snapper, about 800g, pin-boned
100g unsalted butter
pinch saffron threads
80ml dry white wine
½ lemon, thinly sliced
sea salt and black pepper

For the green olive salsa

125g Sicilian green olives, pitted and crushed
small handful oregano leaves*
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170C fan-forced (190C conventional). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Lay oregano sprigs in the centre of the tray, then top with the fish, skin side down (if you're leaving the skin on; it's also fine with the skin off). Scrunch up the sides of the baking paper to create a barrier around the fish to contain the liquid. Season fish and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then add the saffron, white wine and lemon. Season to taste and allow the saffron to steep in the sauce. When cool, pour the butter sauce over the fish, nestling the lemon slices around the fish so that it's sitting in the sauce.
3. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the fish is cooked. Baste the fish with the sauce every 8-10 minutes as it cooks.
4. Meanwhile, combine the crushed olives with the oregano and olive oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
5. Once the fish is out of the oven, remove the cooked lemon slices and roughly chop. Add them to the bowl with the olives, mix to combine and season to taste. Spoon on top of the fish and serve immediately.
*Note: Feel free to switch the herbs for whatever is at hand; parsley and mint are also lovely.