Oven Roasted Whole Branzino with Fresh Fennel

Ingredients

For the Fish:

• 4 branzino, cleaned, scaled and gutted (Whole Foods or local fish monger)
• 8 mini cherry tomatoes
• 2 lemons, sliced
• 8 whole garlic cloves
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Salt
• 2 cups cooked orzo

For the vegetables

Potatoes:

• 1 lb. organic rainbow carrots
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Garnish:

• Fresh fennel fonds
• Lemon rounds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Season the fish with salt and rub with olive oil inside and out. Stuff the fish with sliced fresh fennel, sliced cherry tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves, and 2 lemon rounds. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl mix potatoes with olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the potatoes to a large roasting pan and try to spread them into 1 layer. Top with the bay leaves. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, after flip with a spatula to ensure even browning and roast for another 20 minutes.
4. Place the fish on top of the cut carrots and roast for 20 – 30 minutes or until the fish is a nice golden color, the flesh is done (check with a fork in the middle of the fish) but still juicy.
5. When ready transfer to a serving plate  with orzo as the base, add roasted rainbow carrots. Place roasted fish on top  and garnish with lemon rounds and fresh fennel fonds. Drizzle 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil at the table.