The Technique: Roasted Whole Fish

Roasting a whole fish has become synonymous with summer for me. The fresh, yet simple, taste of fish paired with a chilled white wine is hard to beat as the temperature rises. Roasting a fish is so easy and, if hosting friends, an easy way to impress your dinner guests. Bronzino, red snapper, and rainbow trout are all perfect for cooking whole.

Here are some rules to keep in mind when roasting a whole fish:

• Make sure the fish is fresh. It should have clear eyes, not cloudy eyes. It should also smell like the sea, not smell like ... well, fish.

• Keep the bones in. Bones, whether in meat or fish, add flavor. Have your local fishmonger (great word) scale and gut the fish, but keep the bones in. If you are planning on filleting the fish before you serve, peeling back the spine should take most of the smaller rib bones with it.

• Don't overcook it. If cooking a fish that is around a pound in weight, it should have to cook no more than 10 to 15 minutes. Check the eyes. Once they turn white, your fish should be close to done. If your meat is still translucent, it is under cooked. If your meat is tough, it is overcooked.

There are so many examples and recipes available that walk you through the process until you get comfortable. I have found that this video from The New York Times as well as this tutorial from Chow.com are great references for first time whole fish roasters. I you follow the rules of thumb above, however, you really can't go too far wrong.

The first time I prepared fish whole I was nervous, and naturally scoured my cookbooks and cooking websites for help. The great thing is that there are so many examples and recipes available that walk you through the process until you get comfortable. I have found that this video from The New York Times as well as this tutorial from Chow.com are great references for first time whole fish roasters. I you follow the rules of thumb above, however, you really can't go too far wrong.

The next time your looking for a light, tasty meal, think about roasting a whole fish. It's easy. It's fun. It's summer.

Technique

1 Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Do not add fish until 10 minutes after it reaches temperature to ensure oven is hot.

2 Rinse your fish inside and out. Pat dry then rub with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Stuff the cavity with whatever you like whether it be breadcrumbs or, as I prefer, lemon wedges, crushed garlic cloves, and fresh herbs.

3 Add olive oil to baking tray. Then place fish on top. Add to oven.

4 A one pound fish should need between 10 and 12 minutes to cook. If fish weighs slightly over a pound, it should need closer to 15 minutes.

5 Let the food rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. If you are filleting, check out this great video on the the process.

The Cut: Rainbow Trout

Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/health/nutrition/13recipehealth.html?_r=0

Whenever I head to the store to buy whole fish, I always look for something fresh, sustainable, and portioned for one. Last time around, I bought some rainbow trout, the first time I have deviated from bronzino or red snapper, and I could not have been happier. 

A member of the salmon family, the fish is less fatty than salmon and has lighter flesh than arctic char. Most of the trout available in U.S. markets is farm-raised and those in stores can weigh between three-quarters and one-and-a-quarter pounds. 

Rainbow trout really is a great fish for baking or roasting whole and requires little addition to enhance its flavors. Just some herbs, olive oil, lemon, salt, and you have got yourself a fantastic meal.

In addition to its taste, rainbow trout is also a sustainable fish here in the Northeast. According to the most recent Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, rainbow trout rates as a best choice for sustainability.

Retrieved from http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch/web/sfw_factsheet.aspx?fid=64

Rainbow trout is high in protein and low in sodium, and it also contains less fat than salmon making the fish a nice alternative. However, rainbow trout is high in cholesterol and should not be eaten more than once or twice a week. Below is the nutrition card for a 2 fillet serving: 

The Review: The Mermaid Inn

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Review

I love their happy hour. Sorry, needed to get that out straight away! At either the East Village or Upper West Side location, a $1 oyster, $7 cocktail happy hour is occurring from 5pm to 7pm every day. It is the perfect way to start a night in New York City. Head to happy hour, eat some fresh oysters, have a few drinks, then head out to your 8pm dinner reservation or meet friends at a bar. That's not to say the food isn't good beyond the happy hour menu - the shishito peppers at happy hour are also worth a mention - as they make a good lobster roll and have many nice fish dishes that match well with a warm summer night. 

• Go during happy hour and enjoy half price cocktails, $1 East Coast oysters, shishito peppers, and Old Bay spice french fries

• Download their Oysterpedia app for iPhone or Android to get descriptions of the oysters they serve

The Mermaid Inn

East Village (2nd Ave. btw 5th & 6th)
Upper West Side (Amsterdam Ave. btw 87th & 88th)


Dinner: Mon & Sun, 5pm - 10pm Tue - Sat, 5pm - 10:30/11pm
Happy Hour: Mon - Sun, 5pm - 7pm

From New York Magazine:

"This "clam shack built by a beatnik," in previous co-owner Jimmy Bradley's words, has a lot more going for it than littlenecks, however delectable at $10 a half-dozen. A New Englandy front room, a cozier rear, and an adorable garden fill nightly with East Villagers stuck in the city but hungering for the shore." — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld


From the New York Times:

"The Mermaid Inn offers a dead-on rendition of a casual fish shack, where the straightforward preparations and intelligent wine list meet all the style and attitude requirements of the East Village. The front room has maybe two dozen seats and a bar with weathered beams and old marine charts. A larger rear room and small patio area eases the crowding. Raw oysters on the half-shell and a classic shrimp cocktail are satisfying appetizer choices. The chef smartly keeps the main courses simple, while paying close attention to seasoning."  — Eric Asimov

From Yelp:

"The happy hour and a half is a great menu and super affordable."

"This is probably the best lobster roll I have had in NYC."

"The atmosphere/decor is great, especially in the summer when the garage door opens."