A delicious baked sea bass dish. Serving pieces of sea bass are topped with a mixture of sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes and garlic, and crowned with a layer of shrimp-in-the-shell.

Sheepshead Bay Sea Bass

3 tablespoons butter
1/4 pound mushroom, sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds bass
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound shrimp
1 tomato, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter; add mushrooms and cook just until limp; then stir in chopped tomatoes and garlic; heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cut bass into serving-size pieces and arrange in a single layer in a greased large, shallow baking pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon the mushroom mixture evenly over the fish, followed by shelled shrimp.
4. Bake, uncovered, until the fish flakes easily, about 15 minutes; drain.
5. Garnish with sliced tomato, chopped parsley, sliced lemon.

Makes 6 servings.