2 lb bass1 salt2 tb butter1 onion minced2 tb parsley minced6 mushrooms chopped6 anchovies chopped1/3 c breadcrumbs10 sm shrimp cooked or1 cooked fillet of flounder, sole, or halibut 1 egg slightly beaten1 salt and pepper1 lemon juice2 sl bacon cut in strips for larding1/2 c butter melted1 onion sliced2 tb parsley minced1 white wine or fish stock3/4 c sour cream
Remove the center bone but do not cut in half or behead. Wash, pat dry, sprinkle with salt and refrigerate 45 min. Preheat oven to 400. To prepare stuffing, melt butter in skillet and when bubbling saute onion, parsley and mushrooms 5 min. Mix in anchovies, breadcrumbs and shrimp or cooked fish. Toss and mix in beaten egg. Rince and dry fish, sprinkle inside with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Lard fish across back with bacon strips. Stuff the fish and truss with skewers or sew shut. Spread a little melted butter in a baking dish, add fish and top with onion slices and parsley. Pour the rest of the butter over the fish and vegetables. Bake 45 min basting frequently with wine or stock. Add sour cream to the pan not on the fish for the last 10 min. When fish is done remove trussing and serve on a heated platter garnished with the vegetables and covered with the sauce.Makes 2 servings.