SEA BASS WITH LEMON AND FRESH HERBS

Fast and easy weekday meal - stuffed with lemon slices and mediterranean herbs.
Serve with artichokes and roasted potatoes, or make a salad out of the thinly sliced fennel bulb.

2-4 mediterranean sea bass, gutted, with head and tail on
2 lemons, sliced thinly
olive oil
butter
2 garlic cloves
fresh thyme
fresh parsley
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 fennel bulb, with fronds
1 shallot
white wine
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.
Finely mince parsley, garlic, pepper flakes, and a small bunch of fennel fronds with olive oil to form a paste.
Make several vertical cuts in the skin of the fish and rub inside and out with salt and pepper.  Rub with herb paste. Stuff the inside with lemon slices, thyme, and fennel fronds.

Heat large ovenproof sauté pan.  Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
Add fish and cook 5-6 minutes, until skin is crisp and releases easily from pan.  Flip over and finish cooking in the oven, approx. 15 minutes.

Remove fish from pan to rest, and place pan back on stovetop.  Sauté chopped shallots a few minutes until softened. Add 1/2 cup white wine, squeeze of lemon, and reduce by half. Remove from heat and mount 1 tablespoon butter into sauce.  Spoon over fish and serve.