Roasted Sea Bass With White Port Recipes

COASTAL-STYLE ROASTED SEA BASS OR OTHER LARGE WHOLE FISH

Steps:

• Cut 3 or 4 gashes on each side of the fish, from top to bottom. Salt the gashes and salt the fish's cavity as well. Let it sit while you prepare the other ingredients. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Push half of the garlic slivers into the gashes. Rub the fish with a little of the olive oil and pour the rest into the bottom of a large baking pan. Spread the lemon slices over the bottom of the pan and top it with most of the oregano. Lay the fish over all, then spread the onions and remaining garlic around the fish. Pour the wine over all and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining oregano.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake, undisturbed, until the onions are nearly tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake, shaking the pan occasionally, until the fish is cooked through, another 5 to 10 minutes (look at one of the gashes in the thickest part of the fish; the meat will appear opaque clear down to the central bone). If the pan is drying out, add a little more liquid.
• To serve, scoop the flesh from the fish with a spoon and top with some sauce.
• If the weather's good, and you have access to fennel branches, this is easier: Start by preheating a charcoal or gas grill; the fire should be quite hot and the grill rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Make a bed of fennel stalks directly on the grill bed. Sprinkle 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of sturdy fish fillets, like halibut (these may be steaks), striped bass, monkfish, or cod, with salt and cayenne. Grill right on the branches. While the fish is cooking, grind a teaspoon or more of fennel or dill seeds; juice 1 lemon and thinly slice another. When the fish is done, remove it from the grill, leaving as much of the stalks behind as possible (some of the burned fronds will adhere to the fish; this is fine). Sprinkle the fish with the fennel or dill seeds, then decorate it with the lemon slices. Drizzle with the lemon juice and a bit of olive oil and serve.

PAN ROASTED MEDITERANEAN SEA BASS

Steps:

• In a medium hot pan saute the onions with the capers in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cover and turn heat down to medium heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the thyme about 10 minutes into the cooking of the onions. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Stir in the quartered tomatoes and let simmer for 10 minutes more. Slice the zucchini into thin discs. In a hot saute pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the zucchini in the oil. Add salt and pepper as needed. In a medium hot saute pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute the fish gently, crisping the skin, Turn the fish over and let the temperature of the pan finish the cooking of the fish. To assemble the dish, lay the zucchini around in a small pile on the bottom of the plate, place the fish on top of that. On top of the fish place a small amount of the tomato and onion sauce. Garnish with olive oil and fresh chives.

ROSEMARY AND LIME ROASTED SEA BASS WITH MEDITERRANEAN SALSA

Steps:

• Prepare the Mediterranean Salsa: Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to mix well. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend before serving or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse the fish well under cold running water (to make sure the cavity is clean of any entrails) and pat it dry. With a sharp knife, make 4 deep diagonal incisions down to the bone on each side of the fish. Sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Lay the onion rings, lime rounds, and rosemary sprigs in the cavity. Close the fish. Insert the garlic slivers into the incisions.
• Tie the fish together in 3 or 4 places with butcher's twine to close the cavity. Place the fish on a bed of rosemary branches (or a rack) set in a large roasting pan. Rub the fish with the olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the fish until completely cooked through, about 40 minutes.
• Transfer the fish to a large platter and remove the twine, top with the Mediterranean Salsa. You can also serve this fish on a bed of spinach or arugula leaves with a side of warm orzo tossed with a little chopped fresh parsley and olive oil.

FIESTA ROSA SEA BASS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Season fish inside and out with salt and pepper. Pour about 1 tablespoon of oil into a large roasting pan, reserving the rest of the oil. Lay the fish in the pan and holding the sliced side of the lemon half against your palm, squeeze the juice into the inside cavity of the fish. Stuff the inside cavity with shallots, cilantro, and the thyme. Slice the rest of the lemon and lay the slices on the top (outside surface) of the fish and drizzle the rest of the oil on the outside of the fish.
• Roast until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F, about 20 minutes. (There will be some carryover cooking even after you remove fish from oven.)
• Let rest and transfer to a platter. Serve family style with whipped potatoes.

SIMPLE OVEN-BAKED SEA BASS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450F°.
• In a cup, mix garlic, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
• Place fish in a shallow glass or ceramic baking dish.
• Rub fish with oil mixture.
• (Optional) Pour wine over fish.
• Bake fish, uncovered, for 15 minutes; then sprinkle with parsley or Italian seasoning and continue to bake for 5 more minutes (or until the thickest part of the fish flakes easily).
• Drizzle remaining pan juices over fish and garnish with lemon wedges.
• Enjoy!

WHOLE ROASTED SEA BASS

Steps:

• Season the cavity and exterior of fish with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly brush with oil a baking dish that is just large enough to hold fish without crowding. Divide thyme, rosemary, and parsley evenly between each fish, and place inside cavity. Place 2 bay leaves in cavity of each fish, and place remaining 2 bay leaves in baking dish. Sprinkle scallions over and around fish; drizzle with olive oil.
• Transfer to oven and roast 15 minutes. Continue to roast, checking every few minutes, until the thickest part of the fish is just firm, about 5 minutes more.
• Drizzle fish with lemon juice and transfer to a cutting board; set baking dish aside. Working from the head to the tail, cut along backbone to separate the flesh from the bone. Carefully lift top fillet and transfer to a plate. Lift and discard bones. Gently lift second fillet to same plate. Repeat process with remaining fish. Drizzle with any pan juices before serving.