Roasted Sea Bass With Herb Cream and Peppers
Whole sea bass stuffed with herb cream and baked at high heat, served over a slow-cooked pepper and tomato compote with grilled peppers, roasted tomatoes, onions, and anise liquor. Lemon inserted in the cavity perfumes the fish from within. Garnished with fresh parsley.
Ingredients
- 4 whole sea bass, deboned and descaled, each about 1 lbhalibut1:1white fishfirm
similar cooking time
- 2 lemons
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- parsley, for garnish
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 cups herb leaves, fresh picked, oregano, parsley, basil, celery mixed
- 1 baguette, interior only, crust removed
- 8 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 4 onions, medium, halved and diced
- 8 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 hot green pepper, cut in rings(optional)
- 8 fresh peppers, grilled and singed, sliced in wide strips
- 6 tomatoes, roasted and singed, sliced in strips
- ½ cup Arak, Ouzu or other anise-flavored liquorpastis or Pernod1:1anise-flavored alternative
3
- 1 tsp oregano, freshly ground
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 425°F.
- 2
Make herb cream: process herbs, garlic, and baguette in a food processor, drizzle with olive oil until creamy and consistent, transfer to piping bag and refrigerate.
- 3
Heat olive oil in large saucepan, add garlic and hot pepper if using, cook until fragrant.
- 4
Add diced onions, cook until translucent and tender.
- 5
Add grilled peppers and roasted tomatoes, stir well.
- 6
Pour in anise liquor, bring to boil, reduce liquid to about half.
- 7
Add oregano, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, tasting and adjusting salt as needed.
- 8
Remove pepper mixture from heat and set aside.
- 9
Make incisions along sides and spine of each sea bass with a sharp knife, cutting to the middle.
- 10
Sprinkle fish inside and out with salt and pepper.
- 11
Stand fish upright on baking dish as if swimming.
- 12
Insert half lemon into each fish cavity and pipe herb cream into the incisions.
- 13
Bake for about 18 minutes until fish is cooked through and cream turns golden brown.
- 14
Serve fish over pepper mixture, garnish with parsley.
Tips
Prepare herb cream ahead and refrigerate in piping bag for easier filling.
The herb cream adds richness to the fish while protecting it from direct heat.
Cooking peppers and tomatoes slowly allows their flavors to concentrate and meld with the anise liquor.
Good to Know
Leftover pepper compote keeps refrigerated up to 3 days. Leftover fish best consumed same day.
Herb cream can be made and piped into bag up to 4 hours ahead. Pepper compote can be made 1 day ahead and reheated gently before serving.
Serve immediately while fish is warm and herb cream still has color contrast. Pepper compote should be warm.
Common Mistakes
Do not overbake fish beyond 18 minutes to avoid drying it out and losing delicate flesh texture.
Do not skip lemon in cavity to avoid missing the subtle citrus perfume that balances richness.
Do not reduce pepper sauce below half its volume to avoid over-concentrating salt and alcohol flavors.
Do not press incisions closed to avoid preventing herb cream from spreading during cooking.
Substitutions
similar cooking time
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