Instructions

1. Request that your fishmonger cleans, guts and scales whole barramundi fish, if it hasn’t already been done. More often, you'll find barramundi in fillet form, both fresh and frozen. Look for fillets with light, pearly pink flesh.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for baking barramundi fillets, or 450 F if you are planning to roast a whole fish. If you are broiling fillets, position the rack in your oven so that the fish will be about 4 inches from the heat before preheating the broiler.

3. Prepare a baking sheet or dish by spraying it lightly with cooking spray, dabbing it with butter or lightly oiling it. You can also line your baking dish or sheet with foil to make clean up extra easy.

4. Season the fish. Keep it simple by sprinkling the barramundi with salt and pepper, or by making a simple lemon butter sauce drizzled over the fish while it bakes. For a more complex dish, make a glaze to brush on your barramundi before, and halfway through, broiling it. Some of the flavors that pair well with this mild fish include arugula, fish sauce, garlic, green chilies, cilantro, lime, scallions, soy sauce and shallots.

5. Bake your barramundi fillets in a dish covered with foil for about 25 minutes, or until the flesh is white and lightly flaky when you insert a fork or knife into the thickest part of the fillet. If you're roasting a whole fish, you can leave your baking dish uncovered and roast for about 15 to 20 minutes. Broil barramundi for about eight minutes for every inch of thickness. After three to five minutes, brush with glaze, if you are using it, and then broil about five more minutes.