Serve this fish with boiled new potatoes- the herbed sour-cream sauce goes deliciously with both.
1/3 cup fresh basil ( do not use dried)
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup parsley, lightly packed (do not use dried)
½ cup sour cream
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
2 whole red snappers or sea bass (about ½ pounds each) dressed
Lime slices (optional)
Additional fresh herbs (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 F. With heavy-duty aluminum foil, line a baking pan large enough to hold the fish.
Using a food processor or electric blender, puree basil parsley, and garlic with olive oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Stir 2 tablespoons of the herb mixture into sour cream; cover and refrigerate the sauce until the fish is ready to serve. Add rosemary to the remaining herb mixture and continue to puree for 1 minute.
Using a sharp knife, make three shallow diagonal slashes on each side of both fish. Using your fingers, work the herb mixture into the slashes and cavity of each fish. Carefully place the fish on the prepared baking pan.
Bake the fish, uncovered, until it flakes easily when tested with a fork, about 20 minutes. Using the foil to lift it, transfer the fish to a serving platter. Cut away the foil and discard. Garnish the fish with lime slices and additional herbs, if desired,
Cuisine Writer
