Red Mullet or Sea Bass Baked in Paper

21⁄2 pounds whole red mullet or small sea bass, cleaned and gutted, heads left on

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil per fish, plus extra for brushing parchment and oiling pan

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice per fish

2 medium red onions, cut into rings 1⁄4 inch thick

2 medium firm, ripe tomatoes, cut into thin rounds

2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

As many bay leaves as there are fish

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1⁄2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sprinkle the fish with salt and set aside. Cut as many pieces of parchment as there are fish into 15-inch squares. Use 2 pieces of parchment per fish and place one on top of the other. Brush the surface with olive oil.
Place one fish on each square. Sprinkle each fish with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Distribute the onion, tomato, and garlic slices evenly among the fish. Place a bay leaf on each fish. Sprinkle with pepper and parsley and drizzle each fish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Fold the paper like a packet or an envelope over the fish.
Tie each packet closed with a short string, the way you would ribbon on a gift. Place seam side up in a large, oiled baking pan. Sprinkle the outside of the parchment with a little water to keep it from burning. Bake until the fish are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes, remove the bay leaves, and serve.

makes about 4 servings