Italian-style Sea Bass with Tomatoes and Capers

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 (6-ounce) fillets black sea bass or striped bass (1/2- to 1-1/4-inches thick) with skin
salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 thin lemon slices (less than 1/8-inch thick, from 1 large lemon)
8 sprigs thyme
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
12 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1-1/2 tablespoons drained bottled capers

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F, with rack in middle. Line a large baking sheet with foil, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil.
2. Pat fish dry and sprinkle both sides with a total of 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange fillets, skin sides down, in one layer in center of foil on baking sheet and slide 2 lemon slices under each fillet. Put 2 thyme sprigs on top of each fillet.
3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then saute garlic until pale golden, about 30 seconds.
4. Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt and saute until tomatoes are softened, about 1 minute.
5. Stir in capers.
6. Spoon hot tomato mixture over fish, then cover with another sheet of foil, tenting it slightly, and crimp edges together to seal.
7. Bake until fish is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Check by removing from oven and lifting up a corner of top sheet of foil, then pulling up sides of bottom sheet to keep liquid from leaking. (If fish is not cooked through, reseal foil and continue to bake, checking every 3 minutes.)
8. Transfer fillets with lemon slices to plates using a spatula (be careful not to tear foil underneath) and spoon tomatoes and juices over top. Serve immediately, discarding thyme before eating.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Gourmet Italian