Roasted Whole Black Bass Recipes

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.

WHOLE ROASTED BASS

Steps:

• Score the flesh of the fish from top to belly to 5 equal incisions from head to tail. Repeat this process on both sides. Season with salt and pepper on both sides and in the cavity. Make sure the seasoning is inside the incisions. Repeat this process with the herb oil. Place the fish on the barbecue and grill for about 15 minutes on each side. Be careful when turning the fish over and removing from the grill. The fish will be more delicate when it is cooked. For maximum flavor brush the fish with herb oil as soon as you remove it from the grill.
• Combine all ingredients. This can be prepared in advance and used for multiple recipes.

ROASTED WHOLE BLACK BASS WITH HERB STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly brush parchment with oil. Dissolve saffron in orange-flower water and 3 Tbsp. hot water in a small bowl.
• Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook shallot and green garlic, stirring often, until shallot is soft, about 3 minutes. Add parsley, tarragon, cilantro, mint, and turmeric and cook, stirring often, until herbs darken slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chiles and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper.
• Divide fish between prepared baking sheets. Open up and brush half of saffron mixture over flesh; season with salt. Stuff with shallot mixture; tie closed with kitchen twine, spacing 2" apart. Brush outsides of fish with remaining saffron mixture; season with salt. Roast until flesh is flaky and opaque, 16-20 minutes. Carefully move a rack to upper third of oven; turn on broiler. Working in 2 batches, broil fish until skin begins to crisp, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly; squeeze limes over.
• Fish can be seasoned and stuffed 2 hours ahead.

WHOLE BLACK BASS WITH GINGER AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Put baking dish in roasting pan.
• Rinse fish and pat dry, then rub inside and out with salt. Transfer to baking dish and sprinkle with scallion strips (white and pale green) and ginger.
• Stir together soy sauce and sugar until sugar is dissolved, then pour over fish. Add enough boiling-hot water to roasting pan to reach halfway up side of baking dish. Oil a large sheet of heavy-duty foil, then tent foil (oiled side down) over fish and tightly seal around roasting pan. Carefully transfer roasting pan to oven and bake until fish is just cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
• While fish bakes, cut enough scallion greens diagonally into very thin slices to measure 1/2 cup (reserve remainder for another use).
• Just before serving, remove foil from fish and sprinkle with scallion greens. Heat wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes instantly. Pour oil around side of wok, then tilt wok to swirl oil, coating side, and heat until smoking. Remove from heat and immediately pour oil over scallion greens and fish.