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1
Cut 3 or 4 gashes on each side of the fish, from top to bottom.
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2
Salt the gashes and salt the fishs cavity as well.
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3
Let it sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
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4
Preheat the oven to 450F.
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5
Push half of the garlic slivers into the gashes.
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6
Rub the fish with a little of the olive oil and pour the rest into the bottom of a large baking pan.
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7
Spread the lemon slices over the bottom of the pan and top it with most of the oregano.
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8
Lay the fish over all, then spread the onions and remaining garlic around the fish.
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9
Pour the wine over all and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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10
Top with the remaining oregano.
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11
Cover with aluminum foil and bake, undisturbed, until the onions are nearly tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
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12
Uncover and continue to bake, shaking the pan occasionally, until the fish is cooked through, another 5 to 10 minutes (look at one of the gashes in the thickest part of the fish; the meat will appear opaque clear down to the central bone).
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13
If the pan is drying out, add a little more liquid.
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14
To serve, scoop the flesh from the fish with a spoon and top with some sauce.
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15
If the weathers good, and you have access to fennel branches, this is easier: Start by preheating a charcoal or gas grill; the fire should be quite hot and the grill rack about 4 inches from the heat source.
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16
Make a bed of fennel stalks directly on the grill bed.
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17
Sprinkle 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of sturdy fish fillets, like halibut (these may be steaks), striped bass, monkfish, or cod, with salt and cayenne.
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18
Grill right on the branches.
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19
While the fish is cooking, grind a teaspoon or more of fennel or dill seeds; juice 1 lemon and thinly slice another.
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20
When the fish is done, remove it from the grill, leaving as much of the stalks behind as possible (some of the burned fronds will adhere to the fish; this is fine).
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21
Sprinkle the fish with the fennel or dill seeds, then decorate it with the lemon slices.
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22
Drizzle with the lemon juice and a bit of olive oil and serve.
