Roasting fish fillets that have been oiled and seasoned is a fail-safe, hands-off technique with big flavor payoff. Baharat is a spice mixture typically made with paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and cardamom. You can also use it to season steaks before grilling, or toss through root veg before roasting.

4 servings

2

garlic cloves, finely grated

2

teaspoons baharat or ras-el-hanout

6

tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

4

6-ounce skin-on, boneless red snapper fillets

.

Kosher salt

1

lemon, halved

3

medium Persian cucumbers, peeled, sliced ¼ inch thick

1

medium shallot, thinly sliced into rings, rinsed, patted dry

1

cup cilantro with tender stems

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°. Mix garlic, baharat, and 6 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl. Place fish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and pat dry. Rub both sides of fish with garlic-spice oil; season with salt. Turn skin side up and bake until fish is tender and cooked through and skin is beginning to brown, 8–10 minutes. Finely grate zest from a lemon half over each fillet as soon as you remove fish from the oven.

Step 2

Squeeze juice from a lemon half into a medium bowl. Add cucumbers, shallot, and cilantro, season with salt, and toss to combine.

Step 3

Slide fish onto a platter; top with cucumber salad and squeeze juice from remaining lemon half over. Drizzle with olive oil.