5 Flavourful Recipes Using Whole fish

1. Preheat grill to medium-high and place on a fish rack to heat (or make sure grill is very clean). Rinse striped bass and fill cavity with julienne vegetables. Place a few lemon slices inside each and 2 sprigs of thyme and 2 basil leaves. Tie each fish at the center (or in 2 places if needed) to keep vegetables in. Brush outside of fish with any remaining oil/wine from the bowl and season lightly. Place fish on heated grill rack and grill without moving for about 8 minutes. Turn fish over and cook, without moving for another 8 minutes, or until fish has cooked through. Remove twine and serve.

2. Fill the cavity of each snapper with lemon sliced, parsley and thyme. Use string to secure the snapper filling inside. Drizzle half the olive oil into the cavity and season with salt and pepper. Rub the outside of the snapper with remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a single layer on the grill and grill for 10 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove fish from the grill and serve family-style with favourite summer side dishes.

3. Oil stovetop pan or barbecue rack. (A fish-grilling rack or fish basket is best to prevent sticking.) Preheat barbecue, if using. Cook fish over high heat for about 5 minutes per side, or until it is just opaque. (Time will depend on thickness of the fish.) Remove from heat and spoon some topping on each fish.

4. Lay the trout in a poacher or roasting pan. Pour the wine in, and add enough water to cover. Drop in the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns. Salt. Cover, and bring just to a boil. Turn off the heat and leave to cool to room temperature. Transfer the fish to a serving platter. Let sit 30 minutes, then drain off any excess liquid. Pat dry. Remove the skin from the fish, leaving head and tail intact. Prepare the cream mixture by beating the mascarpone with the chives, lemon, salt and pepper. Cut down the back of the fish and open out the filets. Remove the bones. Spread most of the cream mixture inside and sandwich the filets back together. Spread the cream in a thin layer of the remaining cream over the flesh of the fish. Lay over cucumber slices to cover the flesh completely, like fish scales. Lay a chive flower over the eye. Serve.

5. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with foil. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil. Pat the fish dry with paper towel. Season the inside of the fish with half of the salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle inside the cavity with the wine; fill with the lemon slices, garlic, dill, parsley and mint. Drizzle the outside of fish with the remaining olive oil; season with the remaining salt and pepper. Bake fish for 30 minutes or until registers 135°F (57°C) in thickest part of fish or just begins to flake. Let fish stand for 10 minutes before serving. Spoon over any pan juices. Serve with the Yogurt Caper Sauce.