Corn season is in full swing in New York State, and I was trying out a new recipe for Mexican Street Corn while at the same time pondering how to prepare a freshly caught small mouth bass. The elote sauce reminded me of a favorite fish recipe for Creamy Dijon fillets, so why not try it with the bass fillets! It turned out delicious and also made for an easy one pan meal by adding some of the sauce to a side of corn, tomatoes, and zucchini that roasted next to the fish. 
Fresh Water Bass Fillers with a Creamy Mexican-style Sauce
Ingredients:
- Bass fillets from 1 or 2 fish
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Small clove of garlic, minced
- ½ tsp chili powder
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp finely grated lime zest
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about ½ a small lime)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese or cotija cheese, crumbled
Directions:
- Rinse fish fillets, pat dry with paper towel and place on a lightly oiled baking pan.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Make the sauce in a small bowl by mixing the mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, minced garlic, chili powders, lime zest, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
- Spread a layer of the sauce on the fish and sprinkle grated cheese on top.
- (Optional: if you have some corn, tomatoes, summer squash or similar veggies, you can toss them in some of the sauce and place on the pan next to the fish to have as a side dish.)
- Bake the fish for about 10 minutes, until cooked through and the top is lightly browned. You can place under the broiler for a minute at the end if you like a crispier topping.
