Italian Style Bass Recipes

ITALIAN BAKED SEA BASS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the peppers and onions with seasoning plus a small drizzle of olive oil. Spread on a baking tray and cook for 5 mins.
• Toss in the garlic and lemon with the onions and peppers. Sit on the sea bass, brush fish with a little more oil, season fish and roast for 15 mins.
• Stir the olives and pine nuts into the veg and roast for 5 mins more until the fish is just cooked through. Squeeze over some lemon juice and scatter with parsley to serve.

ITALIAN-STYLE BASS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170/gas 5. Slice the potatoes and boil for 6-8 mins until just tender, then drain.
• Butter or oil one large or two smaller shallow ovenproof dishes that will fit the fish fillets in one layer (a couple of roasting tins would work well). Scatter the potatoes over the base of the dishes, then halve the tomatoes and scatter on top, along with the olives. Set the fish fillets among the other ingredients then pour over the stock and wine, then season to taste.
• Cover the dishes with foil and seal the edges. Bake for 15 mins until the fish is tender. Serve each portion on warm plates and scatter with basil.

SEA BASS ALLA FIORENTINA

Steps:

• Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow bowl, dredge the fish, tapping off the excess flour to create a light coating.
• In a medium nonstick fry pan, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook the fish until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to a plate.
• Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, tomatoes, water, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook at a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the basil and the fish and heat for 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

STEAMED BLACK BASS WITH SICILIAN-STYLE PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Pour olive oil into a large ovenproof skillet or baking dish. Season bass with scallions, salt, pepper, oregano, and lemon and orange zests; place in skillet skin-side up. Pour vermouth over fish.
• Top fish with butter and transfer to oven; bake until fish is semi-firm to the touch and just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer fish to a plate and pour any juices left in baking dish into a small saucepan. Place over low heat and add pesto, whisk until well combined. Stir in basil, parsley, and celery leaves; if mixture seems too thick, add a little hot water to adjust consistency.
• Divide pesto mixture evenly between four plates and top with fish fillets. Serve immediately.