Roasted Sea Bass With Warm Tomato Dressing

• Y cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 whole sea bass, about 2 1/4 pounds, gutted
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large clove garlic, sliced
• 3 large sprigs fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 small onion, chopped fine
• 3 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped fine

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Spread two tablespoons of the oil in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the fish.
3. Pat the fish dry on paper towels.
4. Roll it in the oil in the dish to coat it on both sides.
5. Season the fish inside and out with salt and pepper.
6. Tuck a few slices of the garlic and two sprigs of the thyme in the cavity of the fish.
7. If fresh thyme is unavailable, sprinkle in one-half teaspoon of the dried thyme.
8. Place the fish in the oven and roast uncovered about 25 minutes, until the flesh can be lifted from the bone with the point of a knife and has turned opaque.
9. Transfer the fish to a serving platter.
10. Heat the remaining olive oil in a small saucepan until it is quite hot.
11. Drop in the remaining garlic and remove from the heat.
12. Add the onion, tomatoes and remaining thyme.
13. Stir.
14. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
15. Remove the skin from the top of the fish, lift off the top fillet and serve.
16. Turn the fish over and remove the skin and the bottom fillet in the same manner.
17. Spoon the warm sauce over each portion of the fish.

extravirgin olive oil, bass, salt, clove garlic, thyme, onion, tomatoes

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1596 (may not work)