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The main dish, Chic bistro

Roasted meagre fillet with herb crust

Roasted meagre fillet with herb crust is a fish main for 6, served with buttery glazed carrots and turnips. It takes 35 minutes of active work, with the herb crust and vegetables made ahead in the morning so only the roasting is left when guests arrive. It's medium difficulty, costs about €10.80 per person, and success depends on chilling the crust firm before it goes on the fish.

A beautiful meagre fillet under its fresh herb crust smells like a garden and plates like a dream.

Roasted meagre fillet with herb crust
For
6 people
Work
35 min
Total time
1 h
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€10.80
Calories per person
500 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Under its green crust of parsley, chives, and tarragon, the meagre fillet cooks just enough to stay pearly in the center, while the breadcrumb topping browns and crisps under the broiler. The lemon butter poured at the last minute ties together the tender fish and the glazed vegetables, sweetened by their slow cook in butter.

This is a dish to bring out for a dinner with friends in spring or summer, when young carrots and bunches of fresh herbs are at their best. It fits into a simple menu, a light starter before, a fruit dessert after, nothing that weighs down the evening.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 2 steps, 37 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps, 13 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps, 10 min

In the morning, cook the glazed vegetables and prepare the herb crust, then let it rest in the fridge. Right before guests arrive, reheat the vegetables, preheat the oven, and press the crust onto the salted fish. At serving time, roast the fillets, finish under the broiler, then spoon over the lemon butter onto the fish set on the vegetables.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Meagre fillets 1 kg

Pantry

  • Fine breadcrumbs 80 g
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 2 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Flat leaf parsley 1 bunch
  • Chives 1 bunch
  • Tarragon 0.5 bunch
  • Lemon 2
  • Baby carrots 600 g
  • Turnips 400 g

Dairy

  • Butter 120 g

Allergens Fish, Lactose, Gluten

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Cook the carrots and turnips, cut into wedges, with 30 g of butter, the sugar, a little salt, and water halfway up, until the liquid evaporates. 25 min

    Stir at the end of cooking, the syrup coats the vegetables in a shiny glaze.

  2. Roughly blend the herbs with the breadcrumbs and 60 g of soft butter, spread into a thin layer between two sheets of parchment paper, and chill. 12 min

    The cold firms up the crust so you can cut it very cleanly.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Reheat the glazed vegetables in a little water, covered, and preheat the oven to 210 degrees. 8 min

    Stir in a pat of raw butter at the last moment for shine.

  2. Take out the fish, season it with salt, and lay a rectangle of herb crust on each fillet. 5 min

    Don't salt too early, the flesh would end up waterlogged.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Roast the fillets for 8 to 10 minutes, then finish for 1 minute under the broiler to brown the crust. 10 min

    Watch the broiler closely without looking away, it browns in an instant.

  2. Melt the remaining butter with the juice of one lemon and spoon it over the fillets set on the vegetables.

    Whisk the lemon butter off the heat so it stays creamy.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick fillets of even thickness so they all finish cooking at the same time under the broiler.
  • Blitz the herbs right before mixing them with the breadcrumbs, they keep their bright color and fragrance that way.
  • Without a thermometer, go by color, the center should still look slightly translucent right before it comes out of the oven.

The variations

  • Swap the meagre for cod or pollock, the herb crust works with any firm white fish.
  • For a fish free version, press the same herb crust onto roasted zucchini slices and serve with the same glazed vegetables.
  • To save time, skip the crust and simply pan sear the fish, scattering the chopped herbs on top right before serving.

What to serve it with

  • A dry, mineral white wine
  • A simple green salad
  • Plain basmati rice

Storage

The cooked fish is best eaten the same day and doesn't freeze well. The glazed vegetables and raw herb crust keep for one day in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Questions about this recipe

Can you use a different fish instead of meagre?

Yes, cod, pollock, or sea bass all work well. Pick a firm white fish that holds together under the oven's heat.

How do you know when the herb crust is browned enough without burning?

Stay right by the oven during the minute under the broiler, the crust turns from green to golden very fast. Pull the pan the moment it colors.

Can the herb crust be made the day before?

Yes, it keeps overnight in the fridge wrapped between its two sheets of parchment paper. It actually cuts more cleanly when it's cold.

What's the best way to plate this dish?

Spoon the glazed vegetables into the center of each plate and set the golden fillet on top. Pour over the lemon butter right before serving so the crust stays crisp.

Can a roasted meagre fillet with an herb crust and glazed vegetables be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 35 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make a roasted meagre fillet with an herb crust and glazed vegetables?

Allow 1 h in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 35 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in a roasted meagre fillet with an herb crust and glazed vegetables?

About 500 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a roasted meagre fillet with an herb crust and glazed vegetables cost?

About €10.80 per person, that's €64.80 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, lactose, gluten. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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