Baked Fish with Lemon and Laurel Leaves

Ingredients

One and one-half tablespoons
2 tablespoons dry white wine
6 to 8 thin slices of lemon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Two and one-half pounds fresh filets of cod, scrod or halibut
1 teaspoon Essence
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Three-fourths cup tomato concasse (meat of tomato only, chopped in one-half inch pieces)
10 to 15 fresh bay leaves
Parchment or wax paper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a non-reactive baking dish place the lemon juice, wine, lemon slices, half of the chopped thyme, half of the chopped basil, and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Scatter the sliced garlic over top of the lemon-herb mixture. Season the fish filets on both sides with Essence, salt and freshly ground white pepper. Lay filets on top of the lemon slices and scatter the tomato concasse over the filets. Top with the remaining chopped thyme and basil and then drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Arrange the bay leaves on top of the fish filets, cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake until fish flakes apart easily, about 15 to 25 minutes, depending on type of fish and thickness of filets.

Serve immediately.

Makes 4 to 6 servings