Baked Shad Recipes

Ingredients

• Fresh whole shad (cleaned and scaled; about 2-3 pounds)
• Lemon (thinly sliced for infusion and garnish)
• Olive oil (2 tablespoons for moisture and richness)
• Salt (kosher or sea salt, 1 teaspoon to enhance flavor)
• Freshly ground black pepper (½ teaspoon for mild heat)
• Garlic (3 cloves, smashed or thinly sliced to boost aroma)
• Fresh parsley (2 tablespoons, chopped for brightness)
• Thyme or dill (1 tablespoon, fresh for an herbaceous note)
• Capers (1 tablespoon, for a briny pop of flavor) [optional]
• Red pepper flakes (¼ teaspoon to add mild heat) [optional]
• White wine (¼ cup, to deglaze the baking dish and infuse subtle acidity) [optional]
• Butter (2 tablespoons, to dot on fish for richness) [optional]
• Onion (thinly sliced, ½ medium, for sweetness and layering flavor) [optional]
• Cherry tomatoes (½ cup, halved, to create a fresh, juicy contrast) [optional]
• Bay leaves (1-2 leaves, placed under fish for aromatic depth) [optional]