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For 4 servings

FOR THE MUSHROOMS

½ pound fresh, firm white button mushrooms, cooked as described, with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons chopped parsley, and salt

FOR THE FISH

A 2- to 2½-pound whole fish, such as red snapper or sea bass, gutted and scaled, but with head and tail on

1 large or 2 small garlic cloves

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons onion chopped fine

2 tablespoons chopped carrot

2 teaspoons chopped parsley

1 whole fresh bay leaf OR

½ dried, crumbled fine

⅓ cup dry white wine

1 flat anchovy fillet, chopped fine, to a pulp

Salt

Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill

1. Wash the scaled and gutted fish under cold running water, then pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels.

2. Lightly mash the garlic with a heavy knife handle, just enough to split its skin and peel it.

3. Choose a saute pan just large enough to accommodate the fish later, put in the olive oil and onion, and turn on the heat to medium-low. Cook the onion, stirring, until it becomes translucent, add the chopped carrot, and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring thoroughly to coat it well. Add the garlic and cook it, stirring, until it becomes lightly colored. Add the parsley, stir thoroughly once or twice, then put in the bay leaf, the wine, and the anchovy. Cook, stirring frequently, mashing the anchovy against the sides of the pan with the back of a wooden spoon until the wine has evaporated by half.

4. Put in the fish, season both fish and vegetables with salt and pepper, and cover the pan, setting the lid slightly ajar. Cook for about 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, turn it over carefully, using two spatulas or a large fork and spoon to keep it from breaking apart, sprinkling salt and pepper on the side you have just turned over. Cook for 5 minutes more, always with a cover on ajar, then add the optional mushrooms. Cover the pan, and let the fish and mushrooms cook together for no more than a minute. Serve promptly.

Sautéed Snapper or Bass with Finocchio, Sicilian Style

For 4 servings

2 small snappers OR sea bass, about 1¼ pounds each, scaled and gutted, OR an equivalent fillet of larger fish

2 large finocchi

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill

1. Wash the fish in cold water, inside and out. If using a fish fillet, separate it into two halves, remove the bones, but leave the skin on.

2. Cut off the finocchio tops down to the bulbs, and discard them. Trim away any bruised, discolored portion of the bulbs. Cut the bulbs lengthwise into thin slices less than ½ inch thick. Soak them in cold water for a few minutes and rinse.

3. Choose a saute pan that can subsequently accommodate all the fish. Put in the olive oil, the sliced finocchio, salt, about ½ cup water, and turn on the heat to medium. Cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes or more, depending on the freshness of the finocchio, until it is completely wilted and very tender. If after 20 minutes, the finocchio appears still to be hard when prodded with a fork, add ¼ cup water.

4. When the finocchio is tender, uncover the pan, and turn up the heat to boil away completely any liquid left in the pan. Turn the finocchio slices frequently until they become colored a deep gold on both sides. Add a few grindings of pepper, turn the heat down to medium, and push the finocchio to one side to make room for the fish in the pan.

5. Put in the fish, skin side down if you are using fish fillet, sprinkle with liberal pinches of salt and grindings of pepper, and spoon some of the oil in the pan over it. Cover and cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Then gently turn the fish over, baste again with olive oil, cover, and cook another 5 minutes or so, depending on the thickness of the fish.

6. Transfer the fish to a platter and pour the entire contents of the pan over it. If using whole fish, you might prefer to fillet it before placing it in the serving platter. It’s not difficult to do: Separate the fish into two lengthwise halves, pick out the bones, use a spoon to