Gilthead bream cooked in foil
- 1 ¾ lb gilt-head bream
- 2 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 leaves of bay leaves
- parsley to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Descale and clean the fish, removing the innards. Wash and dry well. Place peeled garlic in the cavity of the fish. Brush a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil with oil. Place the fish on top.
Chop the parsley and, in a small bowl, mix it with the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper using a fork. Cover the fish with this sauce and place the bay leaves on top. Close the package by bringing together the two edges of the paper or foil and rolling them down around the fish, leaving a little space.
Bake the fish on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven for about 30 minutes.
Bring the fish to the table hot and still wrapped in its packet.
Food History
Originally, lemons probably come from Asia. In fact, they were grown in what is modern-day Pakistan over 4,000 years ago and from there lemons spread to other parts of the Middle East. Lemons arrived in Europe, more precisely in Greece, in the 5th century B.C., where they were known as the apples of the Media, a western region of Iran. In ancient Rome, lemons were considered a rare and very precious fruit and were used only for ornamental and medical purposes. According the accounts of Virgil, lemons were believed to be an antidote for poison. Due to the sour flavor of lemons, much more sour than citron, they were not consumed as food until the 10th century when the Arabs began importing them to Spain and Sicily. Thanks to influence of the Arabs, lemons were incorporated to many Italian recipes, especially salad and dessert recipes.
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