Broiled Branzini with Lemon

Branzini, or Branzino, as it's also often commonly known, is a Mediterranean sea bass. It's especially popular in Italy and Spain, and is even farmed in Spain to support the demand. It's often seen served whole, but personally I cannot handle eating something with a head... In this case, the fish was actually available for sale whole at my local Whole Foods, but I had them fillet it for me there and the recipe below is based upon the fillets.

This was actually my first time both eating and cooking this fish, so don't be afraid if you haven't tried it before. It's relatively mild but a bit firm, allowing it to be broiled or grilled without fear. In the Mediterranean it's typically served rather simply, dressed with olive oil and lemon, so I strove to create a similar dish here. I served it alongside one of my past favorites, a parsnip-turnip gratin.

Difficulty: easy
Time: 20 minutes
Cost: $18.28



Broiled Branzini with Lemon
Ingredients:
1 lb Branzini fillets
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 slices lemon

Get your broiler pre-heating to high. Grease a broiler pan with cooking spray.

Place your Branzini fillets on the broiler pan, skin-side down. Rub 1/2 tsp of olive oil on each piece of fish. Sprinkle the rosemary evenly over both slices of fish. Freshly grind some black pepper and sprinkle that evenly as well.

Place the slices of lemon on top of the fillets and then broil your dressed fish for 12-14 minutes or until done. The cooking time will vary slightly depending on the thickness of the fish. Serve immediately.