Whole Striped Bass Recipes

BAKED WHOLE STRIPED BASS IN FOIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Clean the fish, cut it and remove any guts. No need to do that if the fish is already cleaned.
• Place fish on top of a piece of foil. Make sure that foil is big enough to wrap sea bass.
• Add half of the garlic, rosemary, lemon and spices in to the fish cavity. Add the rest on top of the fish.
• Wrap the fish tightly and place it on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Check internal temperature, it should be at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit when fully cooked.

CRISPY WHOLE STRIPED BASS WITH RED TOMATILLO SAUCE AND ROASTED RED POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat about 2 inches of oil in a high-sided skillet over medium heat to 360 degrees F.
• Whisk together flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in enough water to make a batter the consistency of a crepe batter. When the oil has 360 degrees. Season each fish well on the inside and outside and dip into the batter, allowing any excess to run off. Carefully place 2 whole fish in each pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. Serve each fish on a large plate, ladle with some of the Red Tomatillo Sauce, and arrange the Roasted New Herb Potatoes around the plate.
• Red Tomatillo Sauce: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place tomatillos in a small roasting pan, toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast until soft, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Heat remaining olive oil in medium sauce pan, add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic and habanero and cook for 1 minute. Add the chile powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatillos, stir, and cook for 10 minute. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add the vinegar, honey, and cilantro, and process until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Roasted New Herbed Potatoes: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss potatoes with olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper, to taste. Place in a small roasting dish and roast until cooked through and golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately fold in the herbs.

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.

MARINATED GRILLED STRIPED BASS

Steps:

• Combine olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, cilantro and garlic in a large shallow bowl.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• With the tip of a paring knife, make three diagonal slits through the skin of each filet.
• Place the fish in the marinade and turn to coat the fish.
• Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.
• Light a charcoal grill or turn a gas grill to medium high.
• Place the bass on the grill and cook for about 8 minutes on each side, or until the fish flakes easy.

PAN-FRIED STRIPED BASS WITH LEMON SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce, whisk together: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
• Taste for salt and lemon juice and adjust as desired. The sauce will separate as it sits; this is not a problem.
• Season: 4 pieces striped bass, skin on (4 to 6 ounces each) with: Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
• Choose a heavy-bottomed pan for frying the fish. Take another, slightly smaller pan that will fit into the pan for the fish, and wrap its bottom with foil. This pan will be used as a weight to hold the fish flat against the frying pan to ensure that all of the skin will cook and crisp. (You will see the fish contract when it goes into the hot pan, as the skin shrinks on contact with the heat.) Warm the larger pan over medium-high heat. When hot, pour in: Olive oil, enough to generously coat the bottom.
• Add the pieces of bass, skin side down, and place the foil-wrapped pan on top of the fish. Cook until the skin is brown and crispy, about 7 minutes. Check now and then to see that the fish is indeed browning, but not overbrowning. Adjust the heat up or down to speed up or slow down the cooking as needed. When the skin is browned, remove the top pan and turn the fish. Cook for another minute or so, until the fish is just cooked through, but is still moist and tender inside. Meanwhile whisk the lemon sauce together again and pour it onto a warm plate. Serve the fish skin side up, on top of the sauce.
• Garnish the fish with a couple spoonfuls of chopped tender herbs such as parsley, chives, chervil, cilantro, or basil.
• Soak, rinse, and squeeze dry a tablespoon or so of capers. When the fish is cooked add the capers to the hot pan and sauté for a minute or two. Remove with a slotted spoon and scatter over the fish.
• Make a Beurre Blanc (Warm Butter Sauce; page 228) instead of the olive oil sauce.

FRESH FRIED LARGEMOUTH BASS

Steps:

• Place bass in a bowl. Add salt and cover with water. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out all blood. Rinse bass thoroughly to remove salt. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place cornmeal, flour, seasoned salt, paprika, and pepper in a gallon-sized plastic bag. Zip and shake until evenly combined.
• Drop 2 pieces of bass into the bag, zip, and shake to coat. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining bass.
• Fry bass in the preheated deep fryer for 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.