1 lg. fennel bulb (including stems and feathery leaves)
1/4 c. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and pepper to taste (corn ground pepper)
1/4 c. chopped Italian parsley
1 striped bass
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 c. ginger ale
1-2 bunches of fresh dill-parsley garnish

(5-7 pound before dressing with backbone removed and scaled. Optional to leave head and tail on).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut fennel bulb into slices and then into thin strips. Remove stems and leaves. Heat olive oil in small skillet and saute fennel slices and 1/2 of the garlic covered until just tender (approximately 10 minutes). With slotted spoon, transfer fennel to a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste and arrange the bass in an oiled shallow baking dish and spread it open.

Lay the cooked fennel mixture down center of bass and arrange a few sprigs on top of mixture. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Close the fish - tie together with kitchen twine in 2 or 3 pieces. Season outside of fish with salt and pepper and rub with remaining garlic.

Pour reserved oil over fish and lay fennel stems on top. Pour ginger ale into the dish. Bake on middle rack of oven. Bake 10 minutes per inch of thickness of thickest part. Baste often. Ready when opaque and flakes slightly when probed with a fork. Remove string and enjoy.