Baked Red Mullet with Oranges

Oranges are so plentiful in some parts of Greece that they can be picked from trees growing in the streets. The aroma of orange zest pervades many of the Greeks classic dishes and tempts diner into cafes and restaurants on the mainland and throughout the islands.

Ingredients

A few spring of fresh dill
4 large red mullet, total weight 1-1.2kg/2 ¼ -2 ½ lb, gutted and cleaned
2 large oranges, halved
½ lemon
60ml/4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
30ml/4 tbsp pine nuts
salt

Preparation

1. Place some fresh dill the cavity of each fish and lay them in a baking dish, preferably one that can be taken straight to the table. Make sure that the fish are not packed too close together. Sprinkle more dill around the fish.
2. Set half an orange aside and squeeze the rest, along with the lemon. Mix citrus juices with the olive oil, then pour the mixture over the fish.
3. Turn the fish over so that they are evenly coated in the marinade, then cover the dish and leave in a cool place for the fish to marinate for 1-2 hours, spooning the marinade over the fish occasionally.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas. Slice the reserved half orange into thin round, then cut each round into marinade over the fish occasionally.
5. Sprinkle a little salt over each fish. Place two or three of the orange wedges over each fish. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the dish from the oven baste the fish with the juice and sprinkle the pine nuts over. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes more.
6. Test the thickest fish to make sure that it is cooked thoroughly, then remove from the oven. You can transfer the fish to a serving platter, garnished with sprigs of fresh dill, or present them in the baking dish.