Roasted Sea Bass Provencal
- Yield: 4 servings
I use black bass or snapper in season, but any beautiful large whole white-fleshed fish will work perfectly for this roast. I love the presentation of serving the whole fish family-style right from the pan, and I especially enjoy the ceremony of spooning the fish and vegetables onto each plate with plenty of delicious pan sauce. — John Besh
Ingredients
- 1large (3–4-pound) whole sea bass, scaled and gutted
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 shallot, sliced
- Generous pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 orange, sliced
- 3tablespoons olive oil
- 1small fennel bulb, chopped
- 1pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2small red and yellow bell peppers, sliced
- 1/2cup pitted olives, black or green
- 1cup white wine
- 4tablespoons butter
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F. Score the fish and season inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff with garlic, shallot, red pepper, thyme, and orange slices. Place the fish in a roasting pan or paella pan with the olive oil and scatter fennel, tomatoes, peppers, and olives all around. Add wine.
- Roast until fish is white and flaky and tomatoes are beautifully charred, about 20 minutes.
- Stir butter into the pan and toss with the tomatoes. Sprinkle the bass with green onions and basil and serve from the pan with the tomato and olive pan sauce.
Recipe from Cooking from the Heart: My Favorite Lessons Learned Along the Way by John Besh (Andrews McMeel Publishing)