I love fish. When I was a child I ate a lot of river fish, especially during summer. The city, where I grew up is located on a bank of big and great Russian river – Volga, moreover, there are also few small rivers and lots of lakes around it. My father is addicted to fishing, so quiet often during warm summer days we went to one of those lakes, where dad was fishing, while rest of the family (including myself) was swimming, sun-bathing and enjoying lovely summer. Even though most of the caught fishes were small with lots of bones, we liked to grill it mostly, or make some fish-soup. It was such a great time and delicious meal for the appetite you get on a fresh air!
To be honest, living on the Arabic coast, I don’t buy and eat lots of local fish… I wish they could promote it better; certainly you can buy it in hypermarkets, but in small markets I’ve seen local fish only once or twice. Another option is to go to the fish market and choose good and local fish there, but it’s not always convenient.
Surprisingly, there is only one fish market I know in Dubai, despite the city itself is quite large (generally speaking, there is one fish market per each emirate). And all UAE fish markets open early in the morning, and I do like sleep in the mornings, so it’s not quite convenient for me to visit fish markets at noon, when all fishes has been sold out already 🙂 Most of the fish or seafood available on the market is local and freshly caught straight from the sea, and some type of the fish can be found only on local fish markets, while supermarket fish stalls are selling mix of local and imported seafood. I will show you fish market in Dubai soon 😉
In that way, to support Emirates Wildlife, from time to time I’m buying sustainable species of local fish, like Faskar. You can substitute this fish with any local fish, what you can find at your market.
It is beautiful, isn’t it? 😀
Faskar Fish with Aromatic Potato Wedges
- Place fish in a baking tray, squeeze the lemon juice over it. Season with salt and pepper. Stuff each fish with rosemary, parsley, lemon slices and garlic.
Parboil potatoes for 17-20 minutes. Put in a bowl along with broccoli, if using, toss it with rosemary, spices, salt and olive oil. Arrange vegetables around the fish.Bake in preheated 190C/380F oven for 25 minutes.
What a pretty fish, really a perfectly healthful and delicious meal.
Thank you!
What a gorgeous fish! I love fish, but even where I live, it is hard and sometimes inconvenient to get really fresh fish. We can only do what we can do, and it looks like you did great with this local fish, Mila!
What about hypermarkets, do they sell fish, or it’s usually frozen?
Ahh, they do have fresh fish, but I am always worried that it was previously frozen being marketed as fresh. We go to the fishmonger on the weekend to get our fresh fish when we want it. The best way to do it, as far as I am concerned. 🙂
I have never heard of this type of fish. It really is an attractive fish! Your photograph with the yellow background (table) is so beautiful. I really like the ingredients in this recipe. Sounds delicious.
Thank you, Seana! I’ve not heard about this fish too till I came to UAE 🙂
Wow this fish is so beautiful. I love your description of your childhood with your dad near the river. I love fish too, and you’re right to highlight the problem with the fishing industry. River fish is so delicious. I really am enjoying your blog so much!
Thank you so much for your lovely words, Amanda! To be honest, the taste of this fish was pretty ordinary, but it’s certainly beautiful 😀
Beautiful photos!!
Thanks, Bonnie! 🙂
Lucky you to have found a fish that is delicious and so photogenic. Most of the river fish around here are pretty ugly, or are already filleted when sold, but am waiting to find one I can actually take a picture of in one piece.
Totally agree with you, Hilda! It’s a bit complicated to find a stunning fish, almost all of them look similar.. 🙂
Lovely recipe and great photos! 🙂
You are kind, as always, Ronit! Thank you! 🙂
Absolutely superb!
Thank you!
The yellow background is inspired, what a delicious and elegant dish 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks a lot!
How pretty, delicious and healthy!
One of the easiest healthy recipe 🙂
it is beautiful! Seconding everything above commenters have already said–so pretty AND so healthy. Perfect.
Thanks a lot, Liz! 🙂
What a fresh and beautiful fish. I’m sure it tastes marvelous!
Thank you, Fae! Actually, it tasted ordinary, nothing special, but the fish looks really superb! 😀
Wow your photos! Stunning!! I love this kind of simple, wholesome fish dish: add the flavours and bake. Yum 🙂
Thanks a lot! I roast fish pretty often, for me it’s the quickest way to prepare it; salt, pepper, some olive oil and in 20 minutes the dinner is ready! 😀
Awesome . . . ! I must say, though, that your beautiful pristine fish looks as it has not been cooked, it’s so perfect looking! Don’t tell me you sometimes eat whole fish raw!!! 🙂
Oh, no… almost never! Only in restaurants, where I can be absolutely sure that the fish is extremely fresh 🙂 Thank you, darling!
Haha! By the way I love your new (I think it’s new) picture on your “About” page . . . excited that it will soon be fall when I typically think of foods I consider more “Russian” or Eastern European like hearty stews, dumplings, sauerkraut dishes, etc.
I am not a huge fan of fish, but the photos really drew me in! Your use of bright yellow to complement the fish are absolutely fab!
Thanks a lot! The yellow background rocks! 🙂
Sleeping til noon gets the pick of the market, not. I can relate but you have fished a beauty with this one. I wish it did not look do sad but how tasty it must have tasted.
It would be great, if local fish market had a home delivery! Thanks for commenting, Stacey! 🙂
I don’t know which emirate you live in, but the LuLu supermarket in Barsha, Dubai carries a wide variety of fish. I just bought 2 beautiful Faskars from there yesterday and was ‘googling’ for a recipe when i came across your site.