Coastal-Style Roasted Sea Bass or Other Large Whole Fish

Name: Coastal-Style Roasted Sea Bass or Other Large Whole Fish
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: One 3-pound sea bass, gilled, gutted, and scaled, with head left on or removed; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 garlic cloves, cut into very thin slivers; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 lemon, thinly sliced; 20 fresh oregano or marjoram sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried; 8 small onions, peeled and cut in half; 1 cup dry white wine or fish, chicken, or vegetable stock, preferably homemade (page 161, 160, or 162), or water, plus a little more if needed; Black pepper to taste

December 14, 2011

Try to use branches of fresh oregano, marjoram, or fennel here; they really make a tremendous difference. The first two are grown by many gardeners, and a good gardener can probably spare some. Bronze—herb—fennel grows wild all over southern California and is easy to find (it’s also grown by some gardeners). Occasionally you can find one of these in a big bunch at a market, too; you’ll need a big bunch to try the grilling option. In any case, choose a fish with a simple bone structure so it can be served and eaten easily. The best for this purpose are sea bass, red snapper, grouper, striped bass, and mackerel. One advantage in using the oven over the grill is that in roasting you can add some peeled, chunked potatoes to the bottom of the roasting pan as well; they’ll finish cooking along with the onions.

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