Recipe Manuscript

Baked Sea Bass, Orientalle—Σή-Μπας Τοῦ Φούρνου

Name: Baked Sea Bass, Orientalle—Σή-Μπας Τοῦ Φούρνου
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT45M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 kg sea bass (cut into thick slices); Salt (to taste); Black pepper (to taste); Juice of 1–2 lemons; 900 g onions, finely chopped; 2 tbsp pork lard (or 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil); 400 g canned chopped tomatoes; 1 small bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

"Baked Sea Bass, Oriental Style—Sea Bass In The Oven"

1917

From the treasured pages of Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias

Written by Michael Gkines

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American European Beginner Dinner Lunch

Baked Sea Bass, Orientalle—Σή-Μπας Τοῦ Φούρνου

Original Recipe • 1917

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Baked Sea Bass, Orientalle—Σή-Μπας Τοῦ Φούρνου

"Κόψε τὸ ψάρι φέτες, πρόσθεσε ἁλάτι, πιπέρι, λεμόνι καὶ βάλε το εἰς ἕνα ταψί. Ἑτοίμασε μίαν σάλτσαν ὡς ἑξῆς: Διὰ εἴκοσι μερίδες ψάρι κόψε δύο πάουντς κρομμύδια καὶ σοτάρισέ τα μὲ ὀλίγο λάρδο. Ὅταν εἶναι ἕτοιμα ρίψε ἕνα κουτὶ τομάτες καὶ ἄφησέ τα νὰ βράσουν δέκα λεπτά. Χύσε τὴν σάλτσα αὐτὴ στὰ ψάρια, πρόσθεσε ὀλίγο ψιλοκομμένο μαϊντανὸ καὶ βάλε τα εἰς τὸν φοῦρνο νὰ ψηθοῦν."

English Translation

"Cut the fish into slices, add salt, pepper, and lemon, and place it in a baking pan. Prepare a sauce as follows: For twenty portions of fish, cut two pounds of onions and sauté them with a little lard. When they are ready, add one can of tomatoes and let them cook for ten minutes. Pour this sauce over the fish, add a little chopped parsley, and put them in the oven to bake."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is written in direct, imperative prose typical of early 20th-century Greek cookbooks, assuming a degree of kitchen know-how. Quantities are based on large-scale cooking (for twenty servings), and measurements switch between imperial and colloquial forms (e.g., pounds, tins/cans), reflecting the period's merging of Greek and American norms. Ingredient spellings use older polytonic Greek orthography, with lard ('lardo') being a common everyday fat. Clarity and efficiency were prized, with steps given in order but rarely broken into detailed sub-instructions. The title itself playfully merges Greek and English, hinting at the trans-Atlantic culinary fusion at play.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias (1917)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Michael Gkines

Era

1917

Publisher

Ekdotika Katastemata

Background

A sumptuous journey through early 20th-century Greek-American kitchens, this cookbook offers practical and time-tested recipes for savory dishes and delightful sweets—each crafted to suit the American system, yet infused with Greek tradition. A perfect companion for both family cooks and aspiring chefs.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from a unique Greek-American cookbook compiled and published in New York in 1917 by Michael Gkines, titled 'Megale amerikanike mageirike'. At the turn of the twentieth century, Greek immigrants in America sought ways to preserve culinary traditions while adapting to new ingredients and American kitchen standards. This particular dish, baked sea bass 'Orientalle', is a testament to this blend—melding classic Greek techniques with a familiar American affinity for oven-baked casseroles, and representing the accessibility and practicality that were prized in immigrant kitchens of the time.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 1917, a home or restaurant cook would prepare this dish using a sturdy chef's knife for slicing the fish and chopping the onions and parsley, a large shallow baking pan (often made of metal), and a wood- or coal-fired oven to create an even, gentle baking environment. The sauce would be prepared in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan placed over a stovetop or directly on an open flame. A large spoon would help ladle the sauce evenly over the fish.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Servings

Ingredients

4.5 lb sea bass (cut into thick slices)
Salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
Juice of 1–2 lemons
2 lb onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp pork lard (or 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil)
14 oz canned chopped tomatoes
1 small bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

Begin by slicing the sea bass into portions, then season generously with salt, black pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Arrange the fish slices neatly in a baking pan.
For the sauce, finely chop about 2 pounds of onions and sauté them in a small amount of pork lard (or substitute with vegetable oil if desired) until softened and golden.
Once the onions are ready, add a 14-ounce can of chopped tomatoes and let the mixture simmer together for about 10 minutes.
Pour this aromatic tomato-onion sauce evenly over the fish.
Scatter a handful of finely chopped fresh parsley atop the sauced fish, then bake in a moderate oven (about 350°F) until the fish is just cooked through and the sauce is bubbling—this will take roughly 20–30 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish slices.
Serve hot, directly from the pan.

Estimated Calories

380 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 15 minutes to prepare the fish, chop the onions, and get ingredients ready. Cooking the onions and simmering the tomato sauce takes about 20 minutes, and baking the fish takes another 25 minutes. Each serving has about 380 calories, and this recipe serves 6 people.