Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 2-4

  • 2lb whole sea bass, cleaned and scaled
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons rough chopped parsley
  • 2 teaspoons rough chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 fresh thyme, picked leaves
  • 1 lemon, finely sliced
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • Extra-virgin olive oil

SEA BASS WITH HERBS AND LEMON EN PAPILLOTE

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Tear off a sheet of parchment paper so it is a rectangle twice the size of your fish with about 2-inches spare all the way around.  Set the paper on a roasting dish then lay the bass down on one half of the paper.  Using a sharp knife, make cuts on the fish so it will cook evenly.  Season the inside and out of the fish then stuff the herbs and lemon slices inside the cavity.  Pour wine over the fish and drizzle with olive oil.  Fold the paper over onto itself to encompass the fish, then working from one corner around to the other fold over the edges to create an almost airtight seal.  Brush the top of the paper with olive oil then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

When done, the paper will puff up like a balloon.  Cut the paper open at the table for a dramatic presentation and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.

Edited: October 14th, 2009