Baked Whole Fish

Sometimes the best recipes are the ones with the shortest ingredient list.

A whole trout or salmon sits on a bed of sliced vegetables, gets draped with bacon, and goes into a hot oven until the flesh flakes and the bacon crisps.

The vegetables roast in the rendered bacon fat and fish juices, building their own sauce right there on the pan.

Four ingredients. One pan. Dinner and sides, done.

Transfer everything to a platter and you’ve got a meal that looks like you planned it all week.

Variations

• Try a mix of sliced onions, carrots, celery, and fennel for the vegetable bed.
• Use pancetta or prosciutto instead of bacon for a slightly different smoky-salty profile.
• Squeeze lemon juice over the fish and vegetables right before serving for a bright finish.

Pro Tips

• Line the broiler rack with foil. Whole fish sticks to bare metal and falls apart when you try to move it.
• Choose vegetables that can handle high heat without turning to mush. Root vegetables and sturdy alliums work best.
• The bacon bastes the fish as it renders, so there’s no need to open the oven and fuss with it. Just let it go.
• Check the thickest part of the fish near the spine. If it flakes easily with a fork, it’s ready.