Sea Bream in a Hurry

History

This recipe appears in La Mejor Cocinera, Recetas de Cocina, a Spanish home-cookery book whose author is not named and which was issued in Madrid by Editorial (Saturnino) Calleja; the earliest edition catalogued by Spain's Real Academia de Gastronomía is dated 1921, with later printings around 1923 and 1943. As printed, it is a plain, quick preparation: the sea bream (besugo) is cleaned, set in a besuguera (fish poacher), cooked by pouring boiling water over it, then drained of nearly all the water, dressed with oil fried with garlic and lemon juice, and served with salsa verde (green sauce). Besugo is a saltwater fish of the sea-bream (espárido) family long used in Spanish cooking; its name is also that of the besuguera, the poaching vessel this recipe calls for. The name "al minuto" is a general culinary term for a dish made freshly and to order rather than prepared in advance. Beyond what the recipe itself records, the historical record does not document a specific origin, inventor, region, or social setting for this particular preparation, and no source consulted ties it to any class or status.

Ingredients

• 1 whole fish sea bream (besugo)
• water
• oil
• to taste garlic (ajo)
• to taste lemon juice (zumo de limón)
• salsa verde (green sauce)

Instructions

1. Clean the sea bream and place it in a fish poacher (besuguera).
2. Pour boiling water over it and cook until done.
3. Drain off nearly all the water.
4. Add fried oil infused with garlic and lemon juice.
5. Serve with salsa verde (green sauce).