Oven-Roasted Sea Bass With Fennel & Leeks

By ltrodrigu

Ingredients

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 fennel bulb, halved and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 large leek, halved and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 2 shallots, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large celery stick, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 whole sea bass (about 2 pounds), scaled and gutted
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 6 small new potatoes

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté fennel, leeks, shallots, garlic, celery and thyme until just soft but not colored, about 5 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt. Transfer vegetables to a roasting pan that will hold fish snugly.

Season fish with remaining oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Nestle fish into vegetables in roasting pan and dot top of fish with butter. Roast until flesh is just cooked through, flaky and easily slides off bone, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, add potatoes to boiling water and cook until tender, 15 minutes. Strain, halve potatoes and season with salt.

Serve fish on top of sautéed vegetables and pan drippings, with boiled potatoes alongside. Garnish with lemon wedges.