Roasted Fillet of Sea Bass on a Bed of Spinach, Wild Mushrooms and Potatoes

Miss Elizabeth Morganne Porter

 So sorry it has been awhile since you have heard from me but in the words of Ms. Dolly Parton we have been busier than a one armed paper hanger here at Porter South! Our daughter, Elizabeth, is a Debutante this year. For the past year we have been busy with all things DEB related. We are just about DEB-bed OUT! It is finally all coming together at a huge Cotillion Ball. Next weekend. This comes after a year of parties, symphonies, etiquette lessons, self defense classes, volunteering in the community, buying many formals, having many fittings, mani-pedis, facials, hair appointments, portraits, MANY father-daughter dance lessons and lessons for the Texas "dip", our version of a curtsy which is insanely ALL the way to the floor! Bizarre as it sounds there are no other debs in the US that curtsy this low. I do believe I have lost a few brain cells along the way! You name it WE HAVE DONE IT! We are ready to get back to our normal "teenage daughter" routine...if that weren't enough!! Mr. P and I have two great kids. They do well in school, Jared is in college (last semester....YEA!) and he consistently makes the dean's list, active in church and for the most part they both have sunny dispositions. We are truly proud of our Jared and our Elizabeth. We, as a couple, have been blessed with these two little souls. We have been entrusted as care-takers for only a short while and they will be gone all too soon. So even if we are crazy busy, we don't mind, we are glad we have been allowed to go along for the ride.

Roasted Fillet of Sea Bass 

on a Bed of Spinach, Wild Mushrooms and Potatoes

This one dish fish meal is Jared's FAVORITE. He could eat fish every day and come back for more. I know it may look time intensive, but it's really not. Chopping the garlic and herbs is about as long as it takes to pull together this scrumptious meal. Oh so healthy for you and great tasting too. Can't beat that winning combination. Hope your little family enjoys as well.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

•  4 large (approximately 6 ounces) Sea Bass fillets, or other white fish such as Tilapia
• 1 cup mixed green herbs, I use 2/3 c. parsley and 1/3 c. tarragon, finely chopped
• 1 pound small red potatoes, scrubbed, dried and cut
• Olive oil as needed
• 5-6 large cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 generous tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 pound mixed mushrooms, preferably wild cremini, shiitake and portobello (in a quick jam I have used plain button mushrooms), torn or roughly cut
• 1-12 ounce bag washed and dried baby spinach, I know it looks like a lot but it cooks down to very little indeed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large lemons

 Italian parsley is the best. Always pick juicy lemons
and feel the garlic bulb to make sure it is not dried out. Using a
rocking/walking motion makes quick work of chopping fresh herbs.

Leave red skins intact on your sliced potatoes.

Never, ever wash mushrooms.
Using a damp cloth brush off any dirt.
I love the smell of mushrooms cooking....rustic and earthy!

Top potatoes, mushrooms and spinach
with fish fillets. Make sure to season every layer.

WHAT TO DO

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix 1/3 cup chopped herbs with 1 generous tsp. garlic, the zest and juice from half a lemon, salt, pepper and just enough olive oil to combine well. Slash the fish fillets about halfway down, lengthwise, and stuff the slashes with the fresh herb mixture; set aside.
• Slice potatoes, lengthwise, drying them off with a paper towel and toss with just enough olive oil to coat, 2 tsp.of garlic, salt and pepper; stir well. Lay them out in one layer in a baking dish large enough to hold the fish fillets. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup chopped herbs. Cook potatoes in oven for 15-20 minutes or until tender on the inside and slightly crisp on the outside.
• Heat 2 tsp. garlic in a non-stick skillet with 2 tablespoons butter and a generous splash of olive oil. When heated, add mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook until liquid from mushrooms evaporates. Squeeze in juice from 1/2 a lemon; stir in another tablespoon of butter and a handful of your chopped herbs.
•  Scatter mushrooms over potatoes,  top with fresh baby spinach. Sprinkle salt, pepper and remaining herbs over spinach and the juice of half a lemon. Top spinach with Sea Bass or Tilapia fillets. Bake in the oven 12 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness of fish.
•  Remove the tray from the oven, cover with foil, and let sit for about 5 minutes, at which time all of those great juices from the fish will run out and flavor the spinach, mushrooms and potatoes. It also gives your spinach time to steam.
• Slice  the remaining 1/2 lemon and serve over your fish.
• Using a large spatula or spoon, dip all the way to bottom of your pan retrieving potatoes, mushrooms, spinach and fish on top. Place carefully in the middle of your prettiest dishes and tuck in! This has to be one of our favorite one dish meals. Just a couple of tips from ME: I go easy on the olive oil, I am not crazy about the taste...I know that makes me WEIRD! Also to save time on occasion I will throw my mushrooms in the pan after my potatoes are cooked half way through. Pop it back in the oven, pull it out to add your spinach and fish. The trick to this recipe is to season every layer, WATCH the salt. You can always add more but can never take it out! 

Our E!

THE DOMESTIC CURATOR

RONDA