branzino

The final days of December for African-Americans mean playing games of bid whist and spades, and cultivating joy through seasonal dishes. For Rashad Frazier and his family in Portland, Ore., Kwanzaa is all about the food, Nguzo Saba (the seven principles) and honoring members of their families who have made their lives bright. Mr. Frazier is a personal chef and an avid outdoorsman; this rub is his go-to for highlighting fresh-caught fish, which he is serving for the holiday.

Coffee-Rubbed Grilled Fish

whole fish (1 to 1 1/2 pounds each)

medium-ground coffee

onion powder

garlic powder

cayenne (see Notes)

ancho chile powder

cumin

brown sugar

fine sea salt,

vegetable oil,

Lime wedges,

Prepare an outdoor grill or heat an indoor grill pan to medium-high, ensuring the grates are very clean. Using a sharp knife, score the fish with four diagonal slashes through the skin on both sides.

Mix the coffee, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, ancho, cumin, brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Pat the fish very dry with paper towels, then drizzle with the oil and rub over the skin. Sprinkle the coffee rub all over the exterior and cavity of the fish and massage the seasoning into nooks and crannies.

Oil the grill grates or pan. Place the fish on the hot, greased grates, and cover, if using a gas grill. Grill, turning once, until skin is browned and crisp and the flesh is opaque, 5 to 6 minutes per side. The crisped skin should naturally release from the grate when turning and removing the fish. If it doesn’t, let it sit until it does. If it’s still stuck, carefully pry the skin off the grate with a spatula. Season to taste with salt, and serve right away with lime wedges.

There are a number of good reasons to roast or grill a whole fish. Fish tastes better cooked on the bone. It’s just as easy as roasting meat or fowl, and is done in half the time. And a whole fish is apt to be fresher than many of the other choices at the fishmonger. A two-pound fish will serve two.

Roasted or Grilled Whole Fish With Tomato Vinaigrette

fish,

Salt and pepper

thyme

rosemary

parsley

fennel fronds

basil leaves

lemon,

olive oil

shallot, finely diced

red wine vinegar

cherry tomatoes instead

basil

Rinse fish with cool water and pat dry. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Tuck thyme, rosemary and parsley sprigs in cavity of each fish. Add fennel fronds, basil leaves and lemon slices. Drizzle olive oil on both sides of fish, then place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Leave at room temperature. (May season and refrigerate fish up to 2 hours in advance. Bring to room temperature before cooking.) Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Make the vinaigrette: Put shallot in a small serving bowl. Add vinegar and a good pinch of salt. Leave to steep 5 minutes, then whisk in olive oil. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and spoon them into the olive oil mixture. Add basil and stir gently. Leave at room temperature.

Place fish on top shelf of oven and roast, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until fish is firm when probed and flakes at the thickest part. Take from oven and let rest 5 minutes. To serve, use a small knife, soup spoon and spatula to remove top fillets. Pull spine away to reveal bottom fillets. Transfer fillets to a platter or individual plates. Spoon a little tomato vinaigrette over each portion and pass the rest at the table.

Alternatively, if you are grilling the fish, prepare a bed of hot coals. Make sure the grill is cleaned with a wire brush and lightly oiled. Lay the fish directly on the grill and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Do not attempt to turn fish until the skin has browned and crisped or it will stick. Carefully turn fish and cook for another 7 to 8 minutes, until fish is firm when probed and flakes at the thickest part. To serve, proceed as in Step 3.

The best Branzino recipe uses fresh Branziso fish filet and Japanese seasonings, pan grilled and smoked. It&#x27;s fine dining and Michelin-star restaurant quality!

Branzino Recipe 

lb. (0.4 kg) whole Branzino fish

cooking oil

oyster sauce

sake

Japanese mirin (sweet cooking wine)

Branzino With Arugula Sauce

extra-virgin olive oil

fleur de sel

pink peppercorns, crushed

thyme leaves

lemon

chervil

parsley leaves

lemon juice

Salt and black pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, add egg, cook 6 minutes, drain and set aside. Place a Silpat or sheet of parchment paper in a baking dish large enough to hold the fish. Brush Silpat or paper with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Brush fish on both sides with another 1/2 tablespoon of oil and place in dish, skin side down. Combine fleur de sel, pink peppercorns, thyme and lemon zest and scatter on fish.

Peel egg and coarsely chop. Into a blender, add egg, arugula, chervil, parsley, 3 tablespoons water, the lemon juice and the 1/3 cup olive oil. Process to a fine pur&eacute;e. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Put fish in the oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until just cooked through. Spread sauce on each of 4 warm dinner plates. Cut each fillet in four pieces and place two pieces on each plate, on the arugula sauce. Season fish with salt and pepper. Garnish with arugula and serve. 

Delicate Branzino with a bright vinaigrette of tomatoes, olives and basil give a Provençal twist to your dish. Super simple yet impressive! A delicious Mediterranean Diet dish.

Mediterranean Branzino Filet Recipe with Vierge Sauce

whole Branzino. Ask the fish counter to fillet the Branzino

salt

orange

Shallot, finely chopped

green onions, finely chopped

chives,

cherry tomatoes, quartered

Niçois

tbsps of capers (left whole if it is

basil, finely chopped

pine nuts

extra virgin olive oil

Trim the edges of your Branzino fillet for a clean presentation using a sharp knife. Make four diagonal incisions in the skin of each fillet.

Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil on the cooking sheet. Gently place the Branzino Filets next to each other on the sheet, skin side down.

Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil over the top of the filets with a pinch of sea salt.

Set the cooking sheet on the top rack of the oven. Set timer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, it is time to make the sauce Vierge.

Mix the shallot, green onions, chives, cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, basil, pine nuts together in a mixing bowl with the 3/4 cup of olive oil. 

Zeste one lemon into the Vierge Sauce. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into the sauce using a strainer to avoid lemon seeds getting into your Vierge! Mix and set aside. (Le Chef's note: Vierge sauce is even better made a couple hours in advance, the shallots lose their acidity when resting in the olive oil)

Once the 10 minutes are up, check on the Branzino. The fish should have an opaque white color. The cooking time may vary given the size of the fish. If the flesh still looks a little rosy in color in the center, set it back in the oven for another 2 minutes, keeping a close eye.

Once the Branzino is cooked, carefully remove it from the cooking tray with a thin, long, spatula.

Place 2 filets per person in the center of each plate.

Top each whole Branzino with a fine dusting of orange zest (it adds a beautiful citrus note to the fish), about 1/4 of the orange per filet.

Spoon 1/4 cup of Vierge Sauce over  the filets on each plate.

This Oven Baked Mediterranean Branzino (Sea-Bass) with potatoes and veggies makes an impressive fish dinner you can make any day of the week!

Oven Baked Mediterranean Branzino (Sea-Bass)

Branzino fish

Tbsp. butter

Tbsp. Olive oil

dry oregano

paprika

Tbsp. squeezed lemon juice

sea salt and pepper

garlic cloves,

onion, sliced

lemons, sliced

dry parsley

white wine or chicken broth

potatoes, thinly sliced or cubed 1/2 inch thickness

bell peppers, sliced

parsley herb

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Rinse and pat dry fish.

Make three or more slits on both sides...

Make three or more slits on both sides of the fish. 

Make a seasoning mix by combining: melted butter,...

Make a seasoning mix by combining: melted butter, olive oil, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and squeezed lemon juice.

Mix well and adjust to taste.

Place fish on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Brush fish with seasoning mix on both sides, inside...

Brush fish with seasoning mix on both sides, inside the cavity and the slits. 

Insert fresh minced garlic, sliced onion, and lemon slices inside the fish...

Insert fresh minced garlic, sliced onion, and lemon slices inside the fish cavity.

Insert lemon slices into the slits.

Add sliced bell peppers, potatoes, and the rest...

Add sliced bell peppers, potatoes, and the rest of the sliced onion to form a frame around the fish.

Add wine and the remaining seasoning mix over...

Add wine and the remaining seasoning mix over the veggies.

Dust with additional paprika, salt, and dry parsley.

Bake for about 30 minutes uncovered or until...

Bake for about 30 minutes uncovered or until the fish flakes easily and the potatoes are soft.

Drizzle with lemon juice and dripping from the...

Drizzle with lemon juice and dripping from the seasoning.

Garnish with fresh herbs (parsley) and serve.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/wru8glyst74cgl38e1i8.mp4

This Oven Baked Mediterranean Branzino (Sea-Bass) with potatoes and veggies makes an impressive fish dinner that you can make any day of the week! Juicy and flaky on the inside and deliciously crispy and seasoned on the outside.

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Top 6 branzino recipes from across the web

The most viewed branzino recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Coffee-Rubbed Grilled Fish

Roasted or Grilled Whole Fish With ...

Branzino Recipe

Branzino With Arugula Sauce

Mediterranean Branzino Filet Recipe...

Oven Baked Mediterranean Branzino (...

The most viewed branzino recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine