For me, grilling fish can be a challenge. Sometimes it dries out, other times it burns on the outside and is still very pink inside, and most of the times it sticks on the grill like Velcro. So when I get my hands on a good piece of fish, I just bake it. First thing I do is salt my fish. I always use sea salt, never processed table salt. I liberally salt both sides then bake. Sea bream is not a really fatty fish so I like to bake it in paper. It retains its’ moisture and bakes beautifully. Make your salad well in advance to allow time for the vinaigrette to marinate the tomatoes and extract their juices. This is a really simple dish, but a great way to enjoy a good fish, and a flavorful salad.

Ingredients

• 1 whole sea bream
• sea salt
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 dill sprigs
• Half a lemon, sliced

For the salad

• 500 grams cherry tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes on the vine), halved
• 2 Tbs chopped parsley
• 2 Tbs chopped dill (you can substitute coriander)
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tbs small capers
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 4 Tbs red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbs maple syrup or honey
• salt and pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 200 C. Take the fish and place it on a large piece of baking paper. Season liberally with sea salt on both sides. Stuff the cavity of the fish with onion slices and the dill sprigs. Put the lemon slices on top of the fish and close the paper to make a parcel. Take your parcel and put it on a large piece of aluminum foil. Fold the foil to enclose the fish completely. Put in a baking pan. Bake fish for 20-25 minutes. Leave to stand for 10 minutes before opening.

Make the tomato salad. Put the cherry tomatoes, parsley, dill, onion and capers in a bowl. Mix the olive oil, vinegar and maple syrup to make a dressing. Pour dressing over the tomatoes. Mix very well. Season with salt and pepper and mix again. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve fish with the salad and its juices.