Oven Roasted Sea Bass With Fennel Leeks Recipe 475

PAN-ROASTED SEA BASS WITH LEMON FENNEL OIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Rinse fillets and pat dry. Season fillets with salt and pepper. In a 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet (or non-stick skillet with handle wrapped in foil) heat 1 teaspoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sear fillets skin side down, pressing flat with a metal spatula to prevent curling, 2 minutes. Transfer skillet to middle of oven and roast fillets 5 minutes, or until just cooked through.
• While fish is roasting, in a small skillet whisk together remaining 3 teaspoons oil, lemon juice, fennel seeds, and salt and pepper to taste and heat over moderately low heat until hot but not smoking.
• Serve fillets skin sides up and spoon sauce over them.

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.

OVEN-ROASTED SEA BASS WITH FENNEL & LEEKS RECIPE - (4.7/5)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté fennel, leeks, shallots, garlic, celery and thyme until just soft but not colored, about 5 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt. Transfer vegetables to a roasting pan that will hold fish snugly. Season fish with remaining oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Nestle fish into vegetables in roasting pan and dot top of fish with butter. Roast until flesh is just cooked through, flaky and easily slides off bone, 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, add potatoes to boiling water and cook until tender, 15 minutes. Strain, halve potatoes and season with salt. Serve fish on top of sautéed vegetables and pan drippings, with boiled potatoes alongside. Garnish with lemon wedges.