Simple Baked Bass

Serves 4

• 1 bass, about 2 lb (scant kg)

• Salt and pepper

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 4 oz (110 g) butter

• 11 lb (700 g) celery, carrot, and turnips, cut into thin batons 2 in (5 cm) long

• 9 fl oz (250 ml) white wine

• Hollandaise or sorrel sauce

Method

Scale, gut and clean the fish. Dry and rub well with salt, pepper and lemon juice, inside and out. Set the oven to gas mark 7/425°F/220°C.

Stir-fry the mixed vegetables in half of the butter for 8 minutes. Stuff the bass with the vegetables; lay the excess vegetables in a baking dish and place the bass on top. Add the white wine and the remaining butter, cover with aluminium foil and bake for about 30 minutes.

Place a portion of fish in the centre of each plate. Cover with hollandaise or sorrel sauce and arrange the vegetable batons, fan-like, around the fish.