Herb-Stuffed Silver Fish

If you did not buy the Silver Fish (3) gutted and scaled, gut and scale them now. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F).

Rinse the fish under cold running water and pat dry with paper towel. Using a sharp knife, cut three diagonal slits into one side of each fish.

Season the fish with Coarse Sea Salt (to taste) and Ground Black Pepper (to taste), being sure to get into the stomach cavity and the slits. Arrange the fish, slit-side up on a lined baking sheet or roasting dish.

Wash the Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley (4 sprigs), Fresh Rosemary (4 sprigs), Fresh Oregano (4 sprigs), Fresh Sage (4 sprigs), and Fresh Basil (4 sprigs). To make the marinade, take one sprig from each of the herbs, remove any woody stalks and finely chop.

Add the herbs to a bowl with the Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (5 tsp). Zest and juice one Lemon (1) and crush the Garlic (6 cloves), adding them to the marinade. Season with Coarse Sea Salt (to taste) and Ground Black Pepper (to taste) and stir to combine.

Take the rest of the herbs and tie into small bunches with kitchen string – one bunch for each fish. Slice the remaining Lemons (2) into thick slices and stuff each fish with the slices and herb bouquet.

Drizzle over the marinade, making sure to spoon it liberally into the cavity and the slits.

Roast the fish at 180 degrees C (350 degrees F) for 20-24 minutes until the flesh is no longer translucent and it pulls away easily from the skin. Remove the herb bouquets and serve the silvers immediately with a simple green salad and a loaf of crusty bread.