Roasted Black Sea Bass with Tomato and Olive Salad

By Jillh929

Sandwiching meaty black sea bass fillets together with an aromatic filling of red onion and fresh oregano perfumes the fish as it roasts. It tastes—and looks—wonderful topped with a colorful salad of small tomatoes, olives, and more oregano. The peppery, lemony herb, native to the Mediterranean, is a natural with fish.

Ingredients

• For salad:
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound grape tomatoes (preferably mixed colors), halved if large
• 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes (preferably mixed colors), quartered if large
• 12 Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped oregano
• For fish:
• 4 (6-to 8-ounce) black sea bass fillets with skin, any pin bones removed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 6 (3-to 4-inch) oregano sprigs

Preparation

Step 1

Make salad:
Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in anchovy paste, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk in oil. Toss with remaining salad ingredients. Let stand, stirring occasionally, while fish roasts.

Roast fish:
Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Oil a 1 1/2-to 2-quart gratin or other shallow baking dish.

Rub flesh sides of fish with 2 teaspoons oil (total) and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total). Divide onion slices and oregano sprigs into 2 portions and sandwich each portion between 2 fillets, skin sides out. Tie with kitchen string crosswise at 2-inch intervals and transfer to baking dish. Score skin on top in several places with a sharp knife and drizzle with remaining 4 teaspoons oil.

Roast fish until just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Cut off string and cut sandwiched fillets in half crosswise. Serve topped with salad.