Roasted Whole Bass with Early Autumn Veggies
When the first hint of fall is in the air, and it's getting hard to find the perfect summer vegetables, I start to pine for autumnal root vegetables. Here, we are still taking advantage of the best of this season - the potatoes are the tiniest French fingerlings, among the first available, when they are tender and sweet, with peels so thin they rub off when you are cleaning them. Don't skimp on celery root (aka celeriac); it might be ugly, but its flavor is sweet, spicy, and mysterious; it offers so much when paired with potatoes. This was mostly Husband cooking, and therefore, as always, you must get out your trusty little crock of Herbes de Provence
Vegetables - serves 2
1 lb small fingerling potatoes, cut into 1" pieces (or left whole, if small enough) - you could substitute Yukon Gold or red new potatoes
1 softball-sized celery root, peeled and chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 lb Brussels sprouts, tough outer layers peeled away and root ends trimmed
10-15 shallots or pearl onions, ends trimmed and onion peeled
1 large tomato, or whatever (good) tomatoes are leftover
a few cloves garlic, still in skins
Good olive oil
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375. Place the potatoes in boiling salted water, and boil for 5 minutes, then add the celery root. Boil for another 5 minutes and add the Brussels sprouts; boil for another 7-8 minutes or until potatoes are almost soft. Drain everything and place in a roasting pan. Drizzle liberally with good olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, tossing to coat. Place veggies in oven for 30 minutes, while you prepare the fish (you can also feel free to toss in the remaining 1/2 of the fennel, pepper, and onion).
Whole Black Bass - serves 2
1 2 lb black bass (or striped bass, or even trout, although adjust cooking time accordingly)
1/2 head fennel, sliced very thin
1/2 small onion, sliced very thin
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced very thin
salt
pepper
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tsp herbes de provence
Score the sides of the fish; sprinkle the cavity and the outside of the fish with salt, pepper, and herbes de provence; stuff the cavity with the fennel, onion, pepper, and rosemary. Although it's hard to see in the picture, I am sure Husband would want me to tell everyone that he sharpened rosemary sprigs and tied the belly of the bass together with them. Place the fish on a roasting rack on the veggies and roast for another 20-30 minutes, or until the flesh becomes opaque. Remove the fillets from the fish sides and serve over the veggies. Healthy and good!
Finished Product:
