Fish Baked in Foil with Fennel and Lime

Fish Baked in Foil with Fennel and Lime: "


- Merrill

Pretty much everything my husband and I consumed at Kiwayu Safari Village -- a lovely eco-resort right on the Indian Ocean in Kenya -- involved lime in some way: from the virgin Dawa (lime juice mixed with water and a little sugar) we were offered as a refreshment when we first arrived (welcome drinks seem to be standard in East Africa, and I'll admit I kind of wish we had them here), to the wedges of lime served alongside fresh octopus salad or dressed crab at lunch, to the paper-thin slices of lime layered on top of the beautiful whole baked fish presented to us at the dinner table one night. What's more, the bartenders used a special tool to squeeze limes for our cocktails every night: it was a wooden juicer with two long handles, beautiful hand-carved detailing on the top, and a slightly off-center cluster of small holes for the juice to run through. We loved watching the bartenders squeeze lime and after lime with these.

The day before we left, the women working in the small shop at the hotel beckoned me to a corner, where she furtively unwrapped a small bundle. Inside, she had four of the lime squeezers. She said, 'We normally don't sell these, but I have some extra -- would you like one?' I didn't hesitate, and I was soon walking back to our bungalow with a lime squeezer all my own.

Below is an adaptation of the recipe, given to me by the chef at Kiwayu, for the whole baked fish with lime -- in addition to the lime slices that get laid on top of the fish, the fish gets bathed in a delicate marinade of lime juice, olive oil and cilantro before baking. Lime heaven!

Fish Baked in Foil with Fennel and Lime

Adapted from Kiwayu Safari Village

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 medium whole fish, about 2 1/2 pounds (I used striped bass), head and tail on and scaled
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
• Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 large red onion
• 1 large lime, very thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Fish Baked in Foil with Fennel and Lime

Here's how you make the fish.

The lime squeezer! Check out the beautiful carving.


The limes in Africa are smaller and more yellow in color, but the squeezer worked just fine with our giant limes.


Adding salt and pepper to a simple marinade of lime juice and olive oil.


A good handful of chopped cilantro goes in too.


The fish (we used a striped bass), cleaned and scaled and then rinsed under cold water, goes into the marinade for a bit while you prep the rest of the ingredients.


Make sure to get the marinade inside the cavity too.


There's some slicing and chopping to be done, but that's about it.


Fennel, red onion and lime are the cornerstones of this dish.


Amanda generously shows me her method for folding together two pieces of foil to create enough surface area for the fish.


She crimps together the edges of the two pieces of foil, folding them over a few times to create a seal, and then spreads them open like pages of a book.


First, you arrange half of the sliced veggies and lime in layers on the foil.


Then you stuff the fish with cubed butter, mustard, and the chopped fennel and onion.


Here, I'm trying not arrange the fish without spilling the vegetables from the cavity.


The rest of the sliced fennel, onion and lime go on top, snugly encasing the fish.


Nothing goes to waste: the leftover marinade goes over the top.


Make an airtight pouch so that the steam doesn't escape while the fish is baking -- this will keep the meat beautifully tender and moist.


After about 45 minutes, the fish is cooked, and the vegetables have softened and mellowed.
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