Presenting Fish

Very often the presentation of fish is an integral part of the cooking method. A broiled or baked whole fish, for example, slashed along the sides with its skin toasted a crinkly brown, can look perfect on its own or adorned simply with wedges of lemon and sprigs of watercress. Vegetables such as tomatoes and bell peppers, broiled or baked with the fish, add extra color. For small whole fish served individually, the head should be left on and the tail and fins trimmed. Once again, little garnish is needed other than some lemon wedges and sprigs of greenery. Traditionally, the fish is set on the plate with its head facing left, so that the flesh is easy to remove for a right-handed person.