Sea Bass
The overwhelmingly stunning views from the Amalfi Coast are unlike anything I have ever seen. Whether you are simply standing down by the Marina Grande, sitting next to the window of the bus as you weave your way from Naples into Sorrento, or cruising your way over to Capri via hydrofoil or ferry, the brightly colored homes perched upon the lush greenery and rocky cliffs are truly unbelievable. The question of how these homes were physically built so long ago is often raised, as is my favorite question, ‘how does that older gentleman manage to get his groceries up to that house at the top of the steep cliff via scooter?’ In this case I think the practicality of these questions is quickly trumped by the sheer beauty surrounding us.
The question I often pose to myself is if the lucky residents of this area ever forget how gorgeous their daily scenery is—somehow I think not. I have come to the conclusion that they are accustomed to the beauty of this landscape in such a grand way, not in a repetitive sort of way mind you, but in a way that this unique beauty seems to bleed into every other aspect of their lives. What I mean is, everything about life here is beautiful. Not just the scenery, but the language rolling quickly off of the locals’ tongues, the appreciation for wine and the way it compliments their favorite dishes, and the family traditions present not only in their kitchens but in their basic communal nature as a whole.
Where there is a fabulous coastline, there is always fabulous seafood, right? Che vero! Everything from octopus, squid, prawns, lobster, sea urchin, and scorpion fish—you name it, is fresh as can be and prepared nightly in both local restaurants and homes alike. The fish that we have prepared most often in my cooking class has been sea bream, tilapia, and sea bass. Usually whole fish, simply prepared with fresh parsley, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and a touch of olive oil, and roasted after a drizzle of white wine. I invite you to try this simple technique of cooking whole fish: it is fool proof, extremely quick, and just as impressive on a weeknight as it is a dinner party on a Saturday evening.
Sea Bass with a Simple Salad
(To view the recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Oven Roasted Sea Bass
Ingredients:
- 2 whole sea bass, gutted and scaled
- 1/2 bunch of Italian parsley
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- salt and pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup of dry white wine
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the whole sea bass in an oven proof dish. Place half of the parsley and half of the sliced garlic inside of each fish, and sprinkle the inside of each fish with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle some olive oil on the top of each fish and place the remaining parsley and the remaining garlic as well. Sprinkle the tops of the fish with a pinch of salt and pepper as well.
- Pour the white wine around the fish, and roast for 30 minutes, or until the fish is flaky and tender. To serve, filet each fish, divide among your serving plates, with a simple green salad or roasted potatoes.
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