Chef's Recipes

Orata alla Barese (Bari-style sea bream)

Australian Gourmet Traveller Italian recipe for orata alla Barese (Bari-style sea bream) by Sabino Matera from Quoco.

By Sabino Matera
  • 20 mins preparation
  • 30 mins cooking plus marinating
  • Serves 6
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Orata alla Barese (Bari-style sea bream)
“Olives, citrus fruits and wine are key elements in Pugliese cooking. Bari, the capital, has a strong seafood diet, being one of the biggest ports in the region. There’s a beautiful balance here between the seafood, the light white bombino bianco wine and the herbs and delicate spices.”

Ingredients

  • 1 sea bream (about 1.5kg), cleaned
  • ½ parsnip, cut into batons
  • 750 ml Fedora wine (see note)
  • 100 ml olive oil
  • 50 gm sultanas
  • ½ onion, diced
  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • For drizzling: extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Main
  • 1
    Cut fish widthways into 6 to 8 portions (cut through the flesh and bone at the centre but leave spine and belly intact so the fish holds together during cooking). Place in a cast-iron or flameproof baking dish with parsnip, add wine and oil, scatter with sultanas, onion, herbs and garlic. Season to taste and refrigerate for 1 hour, then bring to the simmer over a low-medium heat and simmer until fish is cooked and liquid is reduced by half (25-30 minutes). Serve hot drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil.

Notes

Note Fedora by Rivera is a light dry white wine made from bombino bianco and pampanuto grapes. If unavailable, substitute another other dry white wine. This recipe is from the May 2010 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.
Drink Suggestion: 2008 Terravecchia Biancalunga Falanghina. Drink suggestion by Sabino Matera

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