Best Roasted Whole Black Bass Recipes

ROASTED WHOLE BLACK BASS

Roasted Whole Black Bass image

Provided by Kelsey Nixon

Time 1h10m

Yield 2 to 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

Ingredients

One 2 1/2 to 3-pound whole black bass, gutted and scaled
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 bunch fresh tarragon
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 small head fennel, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup capers, chopped
2 lemons, thinly sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pats
Herbed Israeli Couscous, for serving, recipe follows
Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup currants
1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs, such as tarragon, parsley, chives, etc.
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Freshly cracked black pepper
Olive oil

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse the fish and dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Score each side of the fish 3 to 4 times on a bias, about 1/2-inch deep. Combine the parsley, tarragon and thyme into 1 large bunch with the stems attached, and separate out one-third of the bunch. Finely chop the separated, smaller bunch. Mix with one-quarter of the fennel slices, one-third of the fronds, garlic and capers and 2 of the lemon slices, making a sort of herby citrus marinade. Mix the chopped herb mixture with the olive oil and rub the mixture inside and outside of the fish as well as inside the slits. This will allow the herby citrus flavors to permeate through the fish. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place half of the remaining herbs, fennel, lemon slices, garlic and capers in a bed on the bottom of a roasting pan and the other half inside the cavity of the fish. Place the fish in a roasting pan. Evenly distribute the wine and butter pats in the pan, and place in the oven. The wine will help keep your fish moist and help steam it, as well as making a great sauce with the butter. Roast until the fish has cooked through, or until the skin is crispy and the fish is flaky, 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the fish to a serving platter with a bed of the Israeli Couscous (be careful, the fish is tender and can break). Pour the sauce from the pan over the fish and fillet to serve.
Bring 3 cups salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the couscous, cover and remove from the heat. Allow the couscous to sit until the water is absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the currants, fresh herbs, lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and stir in a small glug of olive oil before serving. Yield: 6 servings.

ROASTED WHOLE BLACK BASS WITH HERB STUFFING

Roasted Whole Black Bass with Herb Stuffing image

This holiday-worthy bass-branzino works too-is stuffed with a fragrant shallot and herb mixture and brushed with heady saffron-scented orange-flower water.

Provided by Andy Baraghani

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more
3/4 teaspoon finely ground saffron threads
1 tablespoon orange-flower water
1 large shallot, very finely chopped
2 green garlic, white and pale-green parts only, finely chopped, or 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 1/2 cups finely chopped parsley
3/4 cup finely chopped tarragon
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup finely chopped mint
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 serrano chiles, finely grated
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
4 (1 1/2-2-pound) whole black bass or branzino, cleaned, butterflied, patted dry
4 limes, halved
A mortar and pestle

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.