Baked Fish With Herbs And Mussel Sauce

1.5-1.75 kg/3-4 lb fish
lemon juice
salt
50 g/2 oz polyunsaturated margarine, incited
100 g/4 oz soft wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 sprig marjoram, chopped, or pinch dried
marjoram
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt
freshly ground black pepper
cayenne pepper
2 rashers bacon, derinded and cut in half
Mussel sauce:
25 g/1 oz polyunsaturated margarine
4 teaspoons flour
120 ml/4 fl oz fish stock
120 m/4 fl oz single cream
12 cooked mussels
salt
white pepper

Clean the fish, leaving the head and tail intact. Rub with lemon juice and sprinkle the body cavity with salt. Heat the margarine in a frying pan and lightly brown the crumbs. Add the herbs, salt, pepper and cayenne to taste, and mix together. Stuff the fish loosely with the mixture and close the cavity with skewers and string.

Line a baking dish with aluminium foil by using a double thickness and allowing it to overlap at both ends. This will make it easy to lift out the cooked fish without breaking it. Grease the foil, place the fish on it and arrange the bacon on top. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated moderately hot oven (200 °C/400 °F, Gas Mark 6) for 30 to 40 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

While the fish is cooking, make the sauce. Melt the margarine in a small saucepan. Blend in the flour with a whisk and add the fish stock. Lightly whisk over a gentle heat until thickened. Add the cream gradually until a shiny, smooth sauce results. Add the mussels and heat through (do not allow to boil). Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Using the foil as handles, transfer the fish to a heated platter and pour over the mussel sauce. SERVES 4 to 6