Last Updated on March 17, 2016
For the fish and marinade:
2 whole Branzino, about 1 ½ pounds each, gills removed, patted dry
The zest of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped parsley
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the glaze:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup
soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
For the vegetables:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 onion, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 yellow pepper, sliced thin
1/2 cup
halved cherry tomatoes
2 fennel bulbs, sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons butter
Marinate the fish: Score both sides of each fish close to the bone but not going through. Transfer the fish to a shallow baking pan lined with aluminum foil.
In a bowl combine the lemon zest, thyme, parsley, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, paprika and olive oil. Rub the marinade onto the fish, getting it down into all the cuts you made. Marinate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Bake the fish for 20 to 25 minutes or until it is just cooked through.
Make the glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and honey and boil until it is reduced by about half and syrupy.
Cook the vegetables: In large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally until softened. Add the garlic, peppers, tomatoes, fennel, white wine, butter and remaining tablespoon olive oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to break up, the vegetables are tender and the liquid has reduced.
To Serve: Spoon the vegetables onto plates, remove the fish from the bone and place it on top of the vegetables and drizzle the fish with the glaze.
This recipe and cooking method appears to be applicable to large trout and certainly to rockfish type species!
yes, Bill, you are right as long as they were roughly the same size.
What rice did you serve with this? It was dark & you said “chewy.” I didn’t hear what it was though. The Branzino & veggies looked sumptuous! Thanks!
Nancy,
I think it was forbidden rice, a type of heirloom rice. It is very tasty.
Forbidden rice, it’s an heirloom rice. Very tasty.
Dear Sara Moulton,
I just viewed your show on PBS with the chef Hung Huynh. The Branzino looked wonderful I have successfully located the recipe on the web and plan to have it for dinner this week. I noticed that Mr Huynh shopped for fish at Citerella and as I live on the upper west side and he spoke about opening up a restaurant on the upper west side I would really love to know where and what is it called. There is no information on the web. It was a wonderful show and your garden is magical!
Sincerely.
Claire Khalil
Claire,
I don’t believe he managed to open that restaurant on the upper west side. Too bad!