WHOLE ROASTED BRANZINO
With CARAMELIZED OKRA and PRESERVED LEMON

Serves 4 to 6, Gluten-Free

INGREDIENTS

2 whole branzino, cleaned and gutted

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Ziggy Marley’s Coco’Mon Coconut Oil, or coconut oil of your choosing

3/4 cup okra, chopped

3 fresh garlic cloves, minced

6 fresh garlic cloves, whole

1 sprig fresh thyme, finely chopped

6 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 preserved lemon, chopped (see Preserved Lemon recipe)

1 freshly sliced lemon

1 cup cherry tomatoes

Optional: add 1/4 cup cooking wine halfway through roasting

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a baking pan combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, and okra.

Bake approximately 3–5 minutes, until okra turns a little brown, gently shaking pan to avoid burning.

When done, remove okra from pan.

With a mortar and pestle, combine minced garlic, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper, and mash until achieving the consistency of a rub.

Dress fish by rubbing 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the spice mixture all over the outside and inside.

Place 1/4 of preserved lemon in cavity of each fish with sprigs of fresh thyme, a few slices of fresh lemon, and whole garlic cloves.

Slice remaining preserved lemon and place atop each fish, along with the rest of the fresh lemon slices. Place in oven and cook in the same baking pan for approximately 20 minutes.

Halfway through cooking the fish, add cherry tomatoes (and optional cooking wine).

After fish is fully cooked, remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh parsley.