Whole Baked Fish Cuban-Style

Courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2007 - Emeril Live. Episode: Cookin Up Cuban. We served this the other day & the residents enjoyed it immensely. We also added pimento stuffed olives to the tomato sauce - that made it taste just right!

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 (3 lb)  whole  striped bass or 2 (3 lb)  tilapia fillets or 2 (3 lb)  flounder or 2 (3 lb)  sole, cleaned and scaled
• 2  limes, juice of
• 3⁄4 cup Spanish olive oil, divided
• 2  onions, peeled and thinly sliced, divided
• 1  large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced, divided
• 3  bay leaves
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1⁄2-3⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1  tablespoon  minced garlic
• 2 1⁄4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 1  cup tomato puree
• 2  tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1  cup dry white wine
•  chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions

1. Rinse the fish well under cold running water and pat dry on both sides as well as inside the cavity.
2. Make several slits about 1/3-inch deep on both sides of the fish.
3. Place the fish in a non-reactive shallow dish or platter and pour the lime juice over the fish.
4. Set aside while you continue with the preparations.
5. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
6. Rub the bottom of a shallow glass or ceramic dish large enough to hold the fish with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
7. Saute 1/2 of the onion slices and 1/2 of the pepper slices in 2 tablespoons olive oil and then place along the bottom of the baking dish.
8. Tear 2 of the bay leaves into small pieces and sprinkle over the vegetables.
9. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons more of the remaining Spanish olive oil and season with salt, black pepper, to taste, and crushed red pepper flakes.
10. Place the fish on top of the sliced vegetables.
11. Using a mortar and pestle, combine the garlic, kosher salt and oregano and mash to form a paste. (We used a small food processor.).
12. Spread the garlic paste inside the cavity of the fish and into the slits on top.
13. Place the remaining bay leaf inside the cavity of the fish.
14. In the same small bowl that you used to make the garlic paste, combine the tomato puree and vinegar and stir to combine.
15. Pour this tomato mixture all over the fish.
16. Top with the remaining onion and pepper slices and drizzle the remaining olive oil and the wine over the top.
17. Season again with salt and black pepper, cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil, and bake until the fish flakes easily when pierced with a fork, 45 to 50 minutes.
18. Garnish with the parsley and serve hot or warm, with the pan juices drizzled over all.
19. Serve with white fluffy rice, ripe plantains and a nice leafy salad & vinegar & Olive oil dressing, a loaf of hot Cuban or Italian bread to sop up all the sauce and a nice bottle of wine.
20. Enjoy!