Mallorcan-style fish is one of the most representative dishes of the island’s traditional cuisine. It is prepared with a whole white fish—usually grouper, sea bream, or sea bass—which is baked on a bed of seasonal vegetables, seasoned with extra virgin olive oil. The result is a juicy dish, full of Mediterranean aromas and with the perfect balance between the sea and the garden.
This recipe is common at family celebrations, especially during Holy Week, when it was traditionally prepared in the wood-fired ovens of the villages. Today, it remains a staple of traditional Mallorcan cuisine, which makes the most of fresh produce from the sea and the land.
More than just a recipe, Mallorcan-style fish represents the essence of the Mediterranean lifestyle: healthy, tasty, and shared around the table.
Contenidos / Contents
Why this recipe is healthy and sustainable
Mallorcan-style fish is a dish that reflects the Mediterranean diet like few others, balancing proteins from the sea with vegetables from the land.
- White fish (such as sea bream, sea bass, or grouper) provides lean protein and minerals such as iodine, phosphorus, and potassium, which are essential for a balanced diet.
- The bed of seasonal vegetables—potatoes, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and Swiss chard—ensures a good supply of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.
- Extra virgin olive oil is the main fat in the recipe, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols that are beneficial for cardiovascular health.
- This is a light dish, as it is mainly baked in the oven, reducing the need for frying or heavy sauces.
- Its preparation makes use of local and regional ingredients, making it a sustainable recipe with low environmental impact.
Ingredients (serves 4)
For fish
- 1 whole white fish (≈ 1.2–1.5 kg: sea bream, sea bass, or grouper), cleaned and gutted
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil
For the vegetable bed
- 3 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 1 large onion, julienned
- 1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
- 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
- A bunch of Swiss chard (or fresh spinach), chopped
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 glass of dry white wine
- Fish stock or water (about 150 ml)
Optional
- Lemon slices to flavor the fish
- A few strands of saffron or sweet paprika, to enrich the bed of vegetables
Required tools
- Large baking tray, to arrange the bed of vegetables and fish on top.
- Cutting board and sharp knife, for preparing vegetables and fish.
- Mandoline (optional), for cutting the potatoes into thin, even slices.
- Large bowl, to mix the vegetables with the dressing before putting them in the oven.
- Wooden ladle or spoon, for serving the broth and wine.
- Pastry brush (optional), to brush the fish with extra virgin olive oil.
- Aluminum foil or oven lid, useful if you want to cover the dish during part of the cooking process to prevent it from drying out too much.
Step-by-step instructions
- Prepare the fish
Thoroughly clean the sea bream, sea bass, or grouper and dry it with paper towels. Make two or three diagonal cuts on each side and season with salt and pepper to taste. Optionally, insert lemon slices or fresh parsley into the abdominal cavity. - Prepare the vegetable bed
- Peel and slice the potatoes into thin slices (2–3 mm).
- Slice the tomatoes, julienne the onion, cut the peppers into strips, and mince the garlic.
- Mix all the vegetables in a bowl with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley.
- Assemble the tray
- First, place a layer of potatoes on the bottom of the baking tray.
- Add the chopped Swiss chard on top and distribute the rest of the vegetables.
- Pour in the white wine and fish stock so that the vegetables cook in their juices.
- Add the fish
Place the whole fish on top of the bed of vegetables. Brush it with a little extra virgin olive oil to prevent it from drying out during cooking. - Bake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, checking halfway through cooking to ensure the fish does not dry out. If necessary, add a little more broth.
- In the last 5 minutes, increase the temperature to 200°C to brown the surface.
- Serve
Carefully remove the fish and serve it on the same tray or on a serving dish, accompanied by its bed of juicy vegetables.
Protip
If you want your Mallorcan-style fish to be especially juicy, cover the tray with aluminum foil for the first 25–30 minutes of cooking. This way, the steam will help the vegetables to slowly caramelize and the fish to retain all its moisture.
In the last few minutes, remove the aluminum foil and increase the oven temperature to brown it and enhance the Mediterranean aromas.
One last touch: when you take it out of the oven, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a little chopped fresh parsley to enhance the flavor and presentation.
Variations
- With Mallorcan sobrasada: add a few small spoonfuls of sobrasada on top of the bed of vegetables. When baked, it adds an intense flavor that is very characteristic of the island.
- Light version: replace some of the potatoes with thinly sliced zucchini, which reduces the calories and maintains the juiciness.
- With aromatic herbs: in addition to parsley, you can add fresh fennel, bay leaf, or thyme, which go very well with white fish.
- Fish fillets: if you prefer a quicker version, use sea bream or sea bass fillets instead of the whole fish. Cooking time will be shorter (20–25 minutes).
- A touch of nuts: add toasted pine nuts to the vegetables before baking to intensify the flavor and add a crunchy texture.
Nutritional values per serving (approximate)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | ≈ 360 kcal |
| Protein | ≈ 34 g |
| Total fat | ≈ 16 g (mainly from EVOO) |
| Carbohydrates | ≈ 22 g |
| Fiber | ≈ 5 g |
| Sodium | ≈ 420 mg
