# Whole Roasted Chilipepper Rockfish with Lemon, Fennel & Spring Vegetables > A whole rockfish roasts over lemon, fennel and red onion while thin parsnip fries turn golden at the edges. Tender Roman-style artichokes, deeply browned chestnut mushrooms and crisp spring greens glazed with black garlic miso make this a generous, vegetable-heavy April dinner. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/whole-roasted-chilipepper-rockfish-with-lemon-fennel-parsnip-fries-roman-style-b - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2023-04-04 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Whole Roasted Chilipepper Rockfish with Lemon, Fennel & Spring Vegetables](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2Fbee8ff71f3363bcb.jpg) ## Whole Roasted Chilipepper Rockfish with Lemon and Fennel Scoring helps a whole fish cook evenly, while thinly sliced fennel and onion soften in its juices. Lemon perfumes the flesh and brightens the roasting juices without a separate sauce. ### Ingredients - 1 whole chilipepper rockfish, about 3 pounds, scaled, gutted and gills removed - 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved - 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced - 2 lemons, one thinly sliced and one cut into wedges - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - 6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley - 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F, preferably convection. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment rated for that temperature. 2. Toss the fennel, onion, garlic and sliced lemon with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a little of the salt. Spread in a thin bed just larger than the fish. 3. Pat the fish dry, including its cavity. Cut three or four diagonal slashes through the skin into the flesh on each side, stopping short of the backbone. Rub with the remaining oil, salt and pepper, including inside the cavity and slashes. 4. Tuck the parsley, fennel fronds and a few lemon slices into the cavity. Lay the fish over the vegetables. 5. Roast for 25–35 minutes, checking early if the fish is slender. Insert a thermometer into the thickest flesh behind the head without touching bone; it should reach 145°F and separate readily from the backbone. 6. Rest for 5 minutes. Serve with the softened vegetables, pan juices and fresh lemon wedges. ### Notes - Ask the fishmonger to remove sharp dorsal spines if desired. Cooking time depends more on the fish's thickness than its weight. - If the vegetables begin drying before the fish is done, add 2–3 tablespoons water around the edges of the pan. ## Roasted Parsnip Fries Slender, well-spaced parsnip batons develop browned tips and sweet centers. A hot oven lets them roast alongside the fish. ### Ingredients - 1½ pounds parsnips, peeled - 2 tablespoons olive oil - ¾ teaspoon kosher salt - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Cut the parsnips into roughly ¼-inch-thick fries, removing any woody cores from especially large roots. Keep the pieces similar in thickness. 2. Toss with the oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan in a single layer with space between pieces. 3. Roast at 425°F for 25–35 minutes, turning after about 15 minutes and rotating the pan as needed. Remove when the centers are tender and the edges are golden brown; take out thin pieces early if necessary. 4. Taste for salt and serve promptly, uncovered so they do not steam. ### Notes - Use two pans if needed rather than crowding. These are caramelized oven fries, not uniformly crisp potato-style fries. ## Roman-Style Braised Artichokes Thorough trimming makes the hearts, stems and inner leaves tender enough to eat. Olive oil, garlic and herbs flavor the artichokes as they gently steam-braise. ### Ingredients - 4 medium artichokes with stems - 1 lemon, halved - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil - 1 small leek, white and pale green parts only, thoroughly washed and finely chopped - 3 cloves garlic, minced - ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley - 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint - ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - 1 cup water, plus more as needed ### Instructions 1. Prepare a bowl of cold water with the juice of half the lemon. Pull away the tough outer artichoke leaves until the remaining leaves are pale and tender at their bases. Cut off the tough upper third, peel the stems and bases, and scoop out the fuzzy chokes with a teaspoon or melon baller. Rub cut surfaces with the remaining lemon half and hold in the acidulated water. 2. Mix the garlic, parsley, mint, salt and pepper with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Drain the artichokes and work the herb mixture into their centers and between the inner leaves. 3. Put the leek and remaining oil in a snug, heavy saucepan. Set the artichokes leaf-end down, stems pointing upward or angled to fit. Add enough of the measured water to come about one-third of the way up the artichoke bodies. 4. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly and cook over low heat for 25–40 minutes. Check occasionally and add water if the pan approaches dry. A small knife should slide into the heart and stem without resistance. 5. Transfer the artichokes to a serving bowl. If needed, simmer the liquid uncovered for a few minutes until lightly concentrated, then spoon the herbs, leek and juices over them. Taste for salt and a squeeze of lemon. ### Notes - For fully edible Roman-style artichokes, be decisive about removing tough leaves and peeling fibrous stems. - Serve warm or at room temperature; avoid reducing the braising liquid to a greasy, salty film. ## Pan-Seared Chestnut Mushrooms with Shallot An uncrowded skillet browns the mushrooms rather than steaming them. Shallot added after the initial sear sweetens without burning. ### Ingredients - 1 pound cultivated chestnut mushrooms, tough cluster bases removed - 2 tablespoons ghee - 1 medium shallot, finely chopped - ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice ### Instructions 1. Separate the mushrooms into individual stems or small clusters, halving larger ones lengthwise. Brush clean and dry thoroughly. 2. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ghee, then the mushrooms in a loose layer, working in batches if necessary. 3. Leave undisturbed for 3–4 minutes to establish browning, then turn and cook for another 4–5 minutes until their released moisture has evaporated and the edges are richly browned. 4. Reduce the heat to medium. Return all mushrooms to the pan, add the shallot, salt and pepper, and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the shallot is tender. 5. Remove from the heat and toss with the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. ### Notes - Use a second skillet or cook in batches if the mushrooms cover one another; browning is the main seasoning here. ## Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas with Black Garlic Miso A quick hot sauté preserves the vegetables' spring sweetness and snap. Adding diluted miso at the end creates a thin savory glaze without scorching it. ### Ingredients - 1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed, stalks cut into 2–3-inch lengths - ¾ pound sugar snap peas, strings removed - 1½ tablespoons avocado oil - 1½ tablespoons Shared Cultures black garlic miso, verified gluten-free - 2 tablespoons warm water, plus more as needed - 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar ### Instructions 1. Whisk the black garlic miso, warm water and rice vinegar into a smooth, pourable mixture. Halve unusually thick asparagus stalks lengthwise. 2. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the avocado oil, then the asparagus. Cook for 2–3 minutes, tossing occasionally, until bright green with a few browned spots. 3. Add the snap peas and cook for 2 minutes. If the asparagus is still firm in the center, add 1 tablespoon water and cover for 30–60 seconds. 4. Lower the heat, add the miso mixture and toss for 30–60 seconds, just until the vegetables are lightly glazed and crisp-tender. Add a splash of water if the glaze tightens too much. 5. Taste before adding any salt, then transfer immediately to a serving dish. ### Notes - Black garlic misos vary in saltiness and sweetness; start with 1 tablespoon if yours is particularly concentrated and add more to taste. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Start the longest vegetable preparation first, then overlap oven cooking with the two quick skillet dishes. The artichokes tolerate holding, while the greens and fries are best served immediately. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F. Trim and stuff the artichokes, then start their covered braise. 2. 0:20 — Cut and season the parsnips and put them in the oven. Slice the fennel, onion and lemon and prepare the fish. 3. 0:30 — Put the fish in the oven on a separate rack. Prepare the mushrooms, asparagus, snap peas and miso glaze. 4. 0:35 — Turn the parsnips and rotate the trays if browning unevenly. Check the artichokes; hold them covered off the heat as soon as tender. 5. 0:40 — Cook the mushrooms. Begin checking the fries and fish early, removing each when done rather than making them share an exact finish time. 6. 0:50 — Cook the asparagus and snap peas as the fish approaches doneness. Rest the cooked fish for 5 minutes, finish the vegetables and bring everything to the table around 0:55–1:05. 7. For staggered service, set out the artichokes and mushrooms as they finish. A 20-minute start-to-table meal requires substantial advance preparation and should not be used as the doneness target. ## Plating Family-style service keeps the whole fish as the centerpiece and protects the distinct textures of the vegetables. ### Instructions 1. Present the fish on a warm platter over its roasted fennel, onion and lemon, spooning the pan juices around it. 2. Serve the parsnip fries on a separate dry platter. Put the artichokes and their herb-rich braising juices in a shallow bowl, with the mushrooms and miso vegetables in separate warm dishes. 3. To portion the fish, lift the upper fillets away from the backbone, checking for pin bones. Remove the backbone and head together, then portion the lower fillets while checking again for bones. 4. Give each diner fish with a little lemon-fennel juice, an artichoke and portions of the other vegetables. Keep wet braising liquid away from the fries. ## Leftover Path Deboning while the fish is still easy to handle makes the next meal simple. Storing the fries apart from the moist vegetables preserves their best chance of reheating well. ### Instructions 1. Remove leftover fish from the bones and refrigerate in a shallow airtight container with a little roasting juice. Refrigerate all leftovers within 2 hours, keeping the fries and other vegetables in separate containers. 2. Use the fish within 2 days for best quality. Reheat gently, covered with its juices, until it reaches 165°F, or serve cold with chopped leftover fennel and a squeeze of lemon. 3. Reheat parsnip fries on a preheated sheet pan at 425°F for 5–8 minutes, watching their thin tips carefully. 4. Use the cooked vegetables within 3–4 days. Warm artichokes in their braising liquid; reheat mushrooms and greens briefly in a skillet with a splash of water, or chop them into an omelet. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.