Alan Davidson

Besugo a la Donostiarra

Bream cooked in the manner of San Sebastián

Preparation info
  • Serves

    Six to Eight

    • Difficulty

      Easy

Appears in
top 1000North Atlantic Seafood
North Atlantic Seafood

By Alan Davidson

Published 1980

  • About

Donosti is the Basque name for San Sebastián. This is a Basque dish, which may also be met under the name Besugo a la Vasca (or Basca).

Ingredients

  • 2 sea bream, each weighing 1 kg (2 lb) uncleaned

Method

Gut the fish, remove their gills, scale them and wash them. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper, then set them aside in a cool place until you are ready to cook them. A Spaniard would hang them up to air (orear), but this is not necessary for those who lack a cool larder and hooks.

About an hour before the meal, anoint the fish with some of the olive oil. Then grill them over glowing cha