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Rockfish Ins and Outs

Isaac Wedin/flickr

In Al's mind there is no doubt about it: the king of the Chesapeake Bay is the rockfish. Considered by many to be one of the best fish in all the world, the rockfish, or striped bass, belongs in Maryland dining rooms for occasions big or small. With Thanksgiving coming up, Al and Jerry thought it would appropriate to suggest rockfish as an alternative to turkey.

Click on the image for the audio. 

Ingredients  

Rockfish (Jerry advocates finding a big fish, maybe 10 lbs or so)

Parsley

Dill 

Onions 

Salt and pepper

Two lemons

Buy the fish gutted and cleaned if possible. There will be a long cut in the belly that is perfect for stuffing.   Make diagonal cuts across the sides of the fish, every three inches or so. Try chopping parsley, dill and onions together, seasoned with salt and pepper. Thinly slice two lemons, and line the cavity of the fish with them. Put the stuffing on top of the lemons. Place the fish on its side on a bed of parsley in a foil lined baking sheet. Cover with more parsley. Wrap foil tightly around the fish, and bake in a 350° oven for about 40 minutes. Remove the top foil, and the parsley and place the fish back in the oven to crisp the skin, maybe 15-20 minutes. The fish is finished when it is opaque. Place the fish upright on a serving dish, garnished lavishly.

Al Spoler, well known to WYPR listeners as the wine-loving co-host of "Cellar Notes" has had a long-standing parallel interest in cooking as well. Al has said, the moment he started getting serious about Sunday night dinners was the same moment he started getting serious about wine. Over the years, he has benefited greatly from being a member of the Cork and Fork Society of Baltimore, a gentlemen's dining club that serves black tie meals cooked by the members themselves who are some of Baltimore's most accomplished amateur cooks.
Executive Chef Jerry Pellegrino of Corks restaurant is fascinated by food and wine, and the way they work in harmony on the palate. His understanding of the two goes all the way to the molecular level, drawing on his advanced education in molecular biology. His cuisine is simple and surprising, pairing unexpected ingredients together to work with Corks' extensive wine offerings.