The sautéed mushrooms would make a great side dish for this fish, along with steamed green beans or broccoli.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 35 min

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 (1 1/4-lb) whole striped bass or red snapper
  • (head and tail intact), cleaned
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 lemon, halved

    DIRECTIONS

    Preheat oven to 500°F and put a large shallow baking pan in middle of oven.


    Cut 3 deep slits (down to bone) crosswise on each side of fish and put fish on a tray. Rub fish inside and out with 2 tablespoons oil. Cut a garlic clove in half and rub all over skin of fish. Thinly slice all garlic and insert into slits and inside fish. Squeeze lemon juice over both sides of fish and season with salt and pepper.


    Quickly brush hot baking pan with remaining tablespoon oil and transfer fish to pan (the pan should be hot enough to sizzle). Roast fish in middle of oven until just cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes.


    To serve, remove top fillet from each fish by cutting through skin along top edge of backbone and along belly. Carefully slide a large metal spatula between backbone and fillet and invert onto a platter. Pull out backbone, starting from tail end, and discard. Transfer bottom fillets to platter.