Sea Bass en Papillote with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

La storia di questo piatto

This dish is the soul of the Italian coastline distilled into a single breath — the Tyrrhenian Sea, the sun-bleached fishing villages, the unhurried rhythm of a culture that has always known how to honor what the water gives. It carries centuries of Mediterranean wisdom: that the most generous flavors need no interference, only reverence.

Ingredienti

• 800 g Whole sea bass, cleaned
• 300 g Fresh cherry tomatoes
• 20 leaves Fresh basil
• 4 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 whole Organic lemon
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 8 g Sea salt
• 2 pinches Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 sheets Parchment paper

Preparazione

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and let it heat through completely while you prepare everything else, so that when the fish goes in it finds the perfect temperature right away. Slice the lemon into thin rounds like little coins, slice the garlic into very fine slivers and divide the basil into two separate piles. The fragrance of the basil the moment you break it will already tell you that the recipe is going to be delicious.
2. Spread two sheets of parchment paper on the baking sheet, one for each fish if you're making two, or just one if it's a single paper packet. In the center of each one, arrange half of the cherry tomatoes, pressing them down very slightly with your fingers: just a light pressure is enough to make them split open a little and release their fragrant juice, which will bathe the fish as it cooks.
3. Place the sea bass on top of its bed of tomatoes as though settling it on a soft pillow, then salt and pepper both the outside and inside the belly without hesitation: a whole fish needs this seasoning to develop flavor from within. Fill the cavity with the lemon slices, the garlic, and the first portion of basil: this is where the fragrance is created that will then be released when you open the paper packet at the table.
4. Surround the fish with the remaining cherry tomatoes, then pour a generous stream of extra virgin olive oil over everything, which will serve as a vehicle for all the flavors. Distribute the remaining basil and place another 2 or 3 lemon slices on top: if you want a more delicate fragrance, remove the yellow zest before slicing it, so you avoid any bitterness.
5. Close the parchment paper by folding the edges over several times onto themselves, like a well-sealed gift package, so that all the steam and aromas stay trapped inside. Place in the oven and let it cook: you'll know it's ready when the paper packet puffs up slightly like a little balloon, a sign that inside everything is releasing all its aroma.
6. Remove from the oven carefully and bring the paper packet straight to the table, because that's the most beautiful part of this dish. Open the package with a sharp knife in front of your guests, letting the fragrance of the sea, lemon, and basil rise up slowly: serve immediately, the fish should be enjoyed while hot, the moment the packet opens.