It’s an all-in-one dish! Switch out the usual meat and rice with this delicious fish and potatoes dish. Use your favorite fish, generously season with aromatic thyme and lemon, and then fill the spaces with potatoes before roasting. Or if you like fillets, use any white and firm-fleshed fish fillets you like, like cream dory, tanigue, tuna, swordfish, or even dapa fillets for this versatile dish.

Baked Fish with Thyme and Roast Potatoes

Makes 6 to 8 servings
Takes 45 minutes

1 kilo white-fleshed fish like lapu-lapu, maya-maya, or bambangin, scaled and cleaned
6 sprigs fresh thyme, or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 lemon, sliced
1⁄2 cup butter
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
6 medium potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350�F.
2. Lay fish on a roasting pan or baking tray. Stuff thyme, lemon slices, and half of the butter in the fish’s belly. Season fish inside and out with rock salt and freshly cracked pepper. Top fish with the rest of the butter and some thyme.
3. In a small bowl, toss potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place potatoes on roasting pan, beside the fish.
4. Bake for 45 minutes or until fish is done. Check if potatoes are done. You may have to keep them in a few minutes longer.
5. Serve whole with lemon wedges on the side. Dribble pan juices onto fish just before serving.

(Photograph by Erwin Obcemea. Food styling by Chiqui Lloren. Recipe by Maricel Abad.)