When I spotted this appealing whole fish at Citarella, just about a pound, I thought that it would take well to roasting, and it did. I love to tackle a whole fish by myself because it is such pleasantly messy work. I made sure the fishmonger left the head on when it was gutted and scaled, because I wanted to relish the cheeks, as Irene Kuo’s husband taught me to do when we went out for a Chinese dinner to celebrate the publication of her book, The Key to Chinese Cooking. He carefully plucked out the cheeks with his chopsticks and offered them to me ceremoniously.

　　

Ingredients

Olive oil

　　Salt

　　1 whole branzino, gutted and scaled

　　A handful of fresh cilantro leaves

　　3 or 4 scallions, trimmed

　　1 or 2 slivers small fresh hot pepper, such as jalapeño

　　1/2 lemon

　　

Step 1

Rub a little olive oil and salt over the fish. Stuff the cavity with the cilantro, trimmed whole scallions, and fresh hot pepper. Cut three slices of lemon very thin, halve them, and scatter the pieces over the top of the fish. Roast in a preheated 425° oven for 25 minutes. Serve with a wedge of lemon (incidentally, the thin lemon strips roasted on top of the fish are to be eaten; I find them delectable). A potato dish, such as the one for Julia (page 135), goes well with this, as would a vegetable roasted alongside.

　　

Second Round

Step 2

If you don’t finish all the fish, what’s left over would taste good in British Kedgeree (page 174).

　　The Pleasures of Cooking for One by Judith Jones. Copyright © 2009 by Judith Jones. Published by Knopf. All Rights Reserved.Judith Jones is senior editor and vice president at Alfred A. Knopf. She is the author of The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food and the coauthor with Evan Jones (her late husband) of three books: The Book of Bread; Knead It, Punch It, Bake It!; and The Book of New New England Cookery. She also collaborated with Angus Cameron on The L. L. Bean Game and Fish Cookbook, and has contributed to Vogue, Saveur, and Gourmet magazines. In 2006, she was awarded the James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. She lives in New York City and Vermont.