Branzino In Salsa Piccante (mediterranean Sea Bass In Spicy Toma

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 (1 1/4 lb) striped bass, small (cleaned, scaled, and heads removed)
• kosher salt, to taste
• pepper, freshly ground, to taste
• 1 cup basil, tough stems removed
• 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
• 1 onion, small, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 red chili pepper (cayenne type, thin small)
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 cup dry wine
• 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup black olives, pitted (such as kalamata or taggiasche)
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 425 degrees. have ready a flameproof baking dish or roasting pan large enough to hold the fish in a single layer.
• 2 rinse the fish well and pat dry with paper towels. season lightly with salt and pepper, inside and out. stuff each fish with half the basil. rub 1/4 cup of the olive oil into the skin of the fish, and set aside.
• 3 place the baking dish or roasting pan over medium-high heat. add 3/4 cup of the olive oil, the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. add the chopped chili pepper and bell pepper, and cook for 3 minutes, or until they have softened. add the wine and cook for about 5 minutes, or until it has reduced by one-third. reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tomatoes, capers and olives. when the sauce starts to bubble around the edges, remove from direct heat and keep it warm on the stovetop.
• 4 heat the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until it shimmers. sear the fish for 3 minutes on each side, then transfer to the baking dish and baste with the sauce. cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and bake for 8 minutes. uncover and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. bake for about 10 minutes, basting every 3 to 4 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through. transfer the fish and sauce to a serving platter. sprinkle with the parsley, drizzle with olive oil and serve hot.