Baked Pompano Stuffed with Crabmeat

IN MY OPINION, POMPANO IS THE MOST DISTINCTIVE and succulent of all Southern fish. While I’ve caught them myself in the surf as far north as the Outer Banks of North Carolina, by far the finest, fattest specimens are landed off the Florida and Gulf coasts. Perhaps the most famous pompano dish is richly sauced pompano en papillote (baked in parchment), created many decades ago at Antoine’s restaurant in New Orleans. But since the white, slightly oily fish is so sturdy, it also lends itself perfectly to being stuffed and baked in the manner relished by all Southerners. Since the heads and tails are left on the fish in this recipe, the dish makes a very dramatic presentation worthy of the most stylish dinner party.

MAKES: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
• 6 scallions (part of green tops included), cut into thin rounds
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 3⁄4 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
• 1⁄4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1⁄4 cup dry sherry
• 4  1 1 ⁄2-pound pompanos, gutted but with heads and tails left on
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a heavy skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over moderate heat.
3. Add the scallions to the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened for about 3 minutes.
4. Transfer the cooked scallions to a mixing bowl.
5. In the same skillet, melt another 2 tablespoons of butter.
6. Add the bread crumbs to the skillet and stir until they turn golden and crisp.
7. Transfer the bread crumbs to the mixing bowl with the scallions.
8. Add the crabmeat, parsley, and sherry to the bowl and gently mix until the stuffing is well blended. Set aside.
9. Season the pompanos inside and out with salt and pepper.
10. Spoon equal amounts of the stuffing into the cavities of the pompanos.
11. Secure the edges of the cavities with small skewers or heavy toothpicks.
12. Arrange the pompanos in a large buttered baking pan.
13. Dot the tops of the pompanos with the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter.
14. Bake the pompanos in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the fish feels firm to the touch.
15. Transfer the baked pompanos to a heated platter.
16. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the tops of the pompanos.
17. Serve the stuffed pompanos immediately.