ESSENTIAL RECIPES- SEAFOOD
WHOLE BAKED YELLOWTAIL, CAPE MED – STYLE
By Jenny Morris @ jennymorrischef
An excerpt from Greedy Girl by Jenny Morris, published by Penguin Random House South Africa. Retail price: R420
Fresh off the boat in Kalk Bay. Because nothing – and I mean nothing – beats fish straight off the boat.‘ Yellowtail just in!’ a fisherman called, holding up a beauty with golden skin and glossy eyes, a fish so fresh it looked like it had leapt from the water just to be dinner.
I pointed, grinned and staked my claim. Moments later, it was gutted, scaled and wrapped in paper like a precious parcel, still cool to the touch. I tucked it under my arm and made my way back to the car, heart racing with recipe ideas. I knew what I wanted. It would be stuffed with lemon and herbs, drizzled with olive oil, surrounded by cherry tomatoes, briny olives and capers, and served with chunks of bread to mop up all the deliciousness.
Serves: 6-8
INGREDIENTS
• 1.2 – 1.5kg whole yellowtail, gutted, scaled & cleaned
• salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• handful of mixed fresh herbs( think parsley, thyme, dill, origanum), plus extra to garnish
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.25kg tomatoes( use a mix of cherry, rosa, vine and / or exotic varieties)
• ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• dried red chilli flakes, optional, for a kiss of heat
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 200 ° C and line a large roasting dish with foil.
2. Pat the yellowtail dry, then score both sides of the skin with a sharp knife. Season generously with salt and black pepper, inside and out.
3. Stuff the cavity with the lemon slices, garlic cloves and fresh herbs.
4. Lay the fish in the lined dish, drizzle with the olive oil, and scatter the tomatoes, olives and capers around the base. Splash in the white wine and sprinkle over some chilli flakes, if desired.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes until the fish is golden, fragrant and flaking perfectly at the thickest part. Finish under the grill for 2 – 3 minutes if you want that dramatic crispy skin.
6. Serve whole, garnished with fresh herbs and with the pan juices poured over – it’ s liquid gold – and let everyone dive in with a chunk of bread.
did you know?
Naturally Banting & keto-friendly dish.
This whole baked yellowtail is a low-carb winner just as it is – generous in healthy fats from the olive oil & Kalamata olives, with no flour, sugar or starch in the dish.
To keep the meal fully Banting or ketocompliant, skip the bread & serve with creamy cauliflower mash, a crisp green salad dressed in lemon & olive oil, or buttery sautéed courgette ribbons.
essentialflavours. co. za • Winter 2026 | 53