GRILLED BASS WITH HERBED GARLIC MARINADE

Prep Time: 1 Hour
Yields: 6 Servings

Comment:
Toledo Bend Lake in Many, Louisiana is known as a fisherman’s paradise because of the volume of largemouth and striped bass as well as crappie and catfish. As one motors around the lake, a common site is the outdoor fish fry complete with hush puppies and ice-cold beer. Every now and again, when a three to four pound bass is brought ashore, it is simply scaled, cleaned, rubbed in garlic and herbs and placed head-on over a hot grill.

Ingredients:
1 (3–4 pound) bass, cleaned and scaled
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup white wine
juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp Louisiana hot sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup chopped thyme
¼ cup chopped basil
¼ cup chopped dill
¼ cup chopped tarragon
¼ cup minced garlic
salt and black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste
Creole seasoning to taste

Method:
Light charcoal in a home-style grill. While coals are heating, prepare fish by removing the gills and rinsing thoroughly under cold running water. Using a sharp paring knife, cut slits at 2-inch intervals down each side of the fish. Place the fish in a large baking pan and top with olive oil, wine, lemon juice, hot sauce and Worcestershire. Using fingertips, rub the liquids completely over the fish inside and out. In a small mixing bowl, combine herbs and minced garlic. Place a generous portion of the herbed mixture into each of the slits and then completely over the fish. Place remainder of herbed mixture into the belly cavity. Season fish generously with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and Creole seasoning. Spray the grill with a non-stick vegetable spray. Place fish over the hot coals and grill 2–3 minutes on each side or until meat is flaky and cooked to the bone, turning occasionally. Using a pastry brush, baste the fish with any remaining seasoning liquid from the pan. Take extreme care when turning the fish to keep it from falling apart during the cooking process. It is recommended to roast vegetables in the same fashion to serve alongside the fish.