Branzino With Florida Amazu Sauce Recipes

GRILLED BRANZINO WITH BASIL, LIME AND GINGER

Steps:

• Make the marinade. Preheat a grill to medium high. Meanwhile, combine the lime zest, ginger, shallot, olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper in a bowl.
• Stuff the fish. Thinly slice 1 lime. Stuff the slices into the cavity of each fish along with the basil leaves and ginger slices. Set aside half of the marinade for serving, then brush the rest on the fish. Season inside and out with kosher salt and pepper.
• Grill the fish. Preheat a grill to medium high and brush the grates with vegetable oil. Transfer the fish to the grill and cook until the skin starts to crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not move the fish or the skin will stick to the grill. To flip the fish, place a spatula under the head end and use tongs to hold the cavity closed; gently roll the fish over. Cook the fish on the other side until the skin is crisp, 5 to 7 more minutes. Check the eyes: When they're both white, the fish is done. Transfer to a platter. Cut the remaining 4 limes in half; grill cut side down until caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the platter.
• Fillet the fish. Using a fork and starting at the tail end, peel back the skin from one side of the fish; discard. Run a knife along the back of the fish to separate the top and bottom fillets. Use the knife to remove any additional skin along the back. Using a spoon, gently loosen and lift the top fillet away from the bottom fillet. Lift the head and use the spoon to carefully separate the spine from the bottom fillet. Discard the tail, head and stuffing. Remove and discard the skin from the bottom fillet. Repeat with the second fish.
• Serve. Drizzle the fillets with the reserved marinade; finish with some olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Serve with the grilled limes and more basil.

BRANZINO MEDITERRANEAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil into a large baking pan; add onion and season with salt and pepper.
• Place the 2 cleaned fish into the baking pan and stuff each cavity with 1 lemon wedge, 1 rosemary sprig, and some of the red onion. Pour white wine and lemon juice over each fish and sprinkle with oregano. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the 2 fish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, about 25 minutes. Gently slide a spatula between the bones to separate fish; remove all the bones. Serve fish on a platter and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

FLORIDA AMAZU SAUCE

Steps:

• Place vinegar, sugar, salt, and kombu in a small saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, until sugar and salt have dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Remove kombu and discard. Add orange juice and stir to combine. Set aside until ready to use.

BRANZINO WITH FLORIDA AMAZU SAUCE

Steps:

• Fill a small bowl with water and add onion; let soak. Coarsely chop half of the cilantro and set aside.
• Cut the branzino into 10 small pieces. Fill a pot about 3/4 full with oil and place over medium-high heat until it has reached 360 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Place the flour and tempura batter in two separate shallow dishes. Coat each piece of fish with flour and then with tempura batter; carefully add to pot of hot oil and fry until just lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Coat fish carcass in flour and then in tempura batter; carefully add to the pot of hot oil and fry until crisp and lightly browned. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Transfer fried fish to a serving plate, using the carcass for presentation as desired. Drain onion and pat dry. Sprinkle over fish, along with cilantro, chile, and micro cilantro. Spoon amazu sauce over the fish, or serve it in a small dish on the side for dipping; garnish with daikon and serve immediately.

GRILLED WHOLE BRANZINO

Steps:

• For the Salmoriglio sauce: Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil in a medium bowl. Add garlic, capers, herbs and lemon zest. The sauce should be loose in consistency with high-acid flavor. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• For the fish: Preheat the grill for cooking over high heat (around 450 to 500 degrees F).
• Bring fish to room temperature, 30 minutes, then wrap fish briefly in paper towels to dry out skin, which will help keep the fish from sticking to the grill.
• Stuff the inside cavity of the fish with herbs, garlic and lemon slices, and sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Brush the outside of the fish with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush a fish grill basket with oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place fish in fish grill basket and secure shut. (If you don't have a fish grill basket, place the fish between 2 wire cooling racks and secure the racks together with wire.)
• Place basket on the hottest part of the grill. Cook until the eye turns white and skin is charred, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Let rest 5 minutes.
• Place fish on a platter and dress with the Salmoriglio sauce.

PAN-SEARED BRANZINO WITH TOMATO AND CAPERS

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the branzino fillets on paper towels and dry well. With a sharp knife, score the skin of each fillet by making three shallow cuts on a slight diagonal. Sprinkle the fillets on all sides with the salt.
• Add the oil to the hot pan; then add the fillets, skin side down, being sure to lay the fish away from you in the pan. Press gently on each fillet to make sure the skin has full contact with the pan. Allow the fish to cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Using a fish spatula, gently flip the fillets and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove the branzino to a platter, skin side up, and keep warm.
• To the hot pan, add the tomatoes, capers and olives. Cook for 1 minute, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the white wine, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the butter and parsley. Spoon the sauce over the branzino and serve.

WHOLE BRANZINO ROASTED IN SALT

Steps:

• For fish:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir salt and 5 egg whites in large bowl, adding more egg whites as needed to form grainy paste. Press 1/4-inch layer of salt mixture (large enough to hold both fish) onto large rimmed baking sheet. Stuff cavity of each whole fish with half of herb sprigs and lemon slices. Place fish atop salt mixture on baking sheet. Pack remaining salt mixture over fish to enclose completely. Roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of fish registers 135°F, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare salsa verde:
• Using small sharp knife, remove peel and white pith from lemon. Working over bowl, cut between membranes to release segments. Cut each segment into 3 pieces. Add lemon pieces and next 6 ingredients to bowl.
• Using back of large spoon, gently crack open salt crust on fish. Lift and discard salt layer. Pull skin from top of 1 fish. Carefully lift top fillet from bones and transfer to plate. Lift and discard bones. Gently lift second fillet from skin and transfer to second plate. Repeat with second fish for a total of 4 plates.
• Spoon salsa verde over fish, leaving juices in bowl. Add arugula to bowl; toss to coat. Divide among plates.