Oven-Baked Whole Red Drum Stuffed with Vegetables 🐟🍋

🛒 Ingredients

The Star:

• 1 Whole Red Drum (Cleaned and scaled).

The Base:

• Potatoes (Peeled and sliced into rounds).

• Olive Oil (Extra virgin is best).

The Filling & Aromatics:

• Bell Peppers (Mix of green and red for color).

• Garlic (Cloves peeled and sliced or minced).

• Limes (Sliced into rounds).

• Olives (Pitted).

Seasoning:

• Salt & Black Pepper (To taste).

🔪 Instructions

1. Prepare the Base Preheat your oven (typically 375°F / 190°C works best for whole fish). Line a baking tray with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Peel and slice the potatoes into rounds, spreading them evenly across the tray to create a "bed." Drizzle generously with olive oil.

2. Prep the Fish Rinse the Red Drum thoroughly and pat it dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score the fish by making 3-4 diagonal cuts on each side of the body. This helps the heat penetrate and ensures even cooking. Place the fish directly on top of the potato layer.

3. Stuff & Season Slice your bell peppers, garlic, and limes. Fill the cavity of the fish generously with the bell peppers, garlic slices, olives, and lime rounds. Season the entire fish (inside and out, and into the cuts you made) with plenty of salt and pepper. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the fish skin to help it crisp up.

4. Bake to Perfection Place the tray in the oven. Bake until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, and the potatoes are tender.

• Cooking time will vary by size, but check after 30-40 minutes.

5. Serve Remove from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy the tender fish with the savory roasted vegetable filling!