**Savory Sauteed Branzino Fillets: A Culinary Journey Through Mediterranean Delights**
Embark on a culinary adventure with our sautéed branzino fillets, a dish that embodies the essence of Mediterranean cuisine. Branzino, also known as European sea bass, is a prized fish renowned for its delicate flavor and firm texture. Our recipe presents two variations: a classic sautéed branzino with a crispy skin and tender flesh, complemented by a vibrant lemon-herb sauce, and a tantalizingly crispy version, where the fillets are coated in a flavorful breadcrumb mixture before being pan-fried to golden perfection. Both variations are sure to delight your taste buds and transport you to the sun-kissed shores of the Mediterranean.
PAN-ROASTED FISH FILLETS WITH HERB BUTTER
A blast of heat in a cast-iron pan and a basting of golden butter does wonders for plain fish fillets. This life-changing method is adopted from a former chef and current fishmonger, Mark Usewicz of Mermaid's Garden in Brooklyn, who also teaches cooking classes in topics like "How to Cook Fish in a New York City Apartment." The cooking time is so short that the smell - which, if your fish is fresh and not funky, should not be overpowering - will dissipate quickly. And in the meantime, you have an easy dinner of tender fish with a toothsome crust, anointed with nutty, lemony brown butter and perfumed with herbs. You can use virtually any fish fillet, skin on or off, as long as it is not too thick. If the butter is browning too fast, reduce the heat and add a nut of cold butter to prevent scorching, or squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.
Provided by Julia Moskin
Categories dinner, lunch, quick, main course
Time 20m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Pat fillets dry with a paper towel. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a heavy 10-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil. Place the fillets in the pan, skin side down (if applicable), laying them down away from your body. If fillets have skin, press down gently with a spatula for about 20 seconds to prevent curling.
- Lower heat to medium and let sizzle until fish is golden and caramelized around edges, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip fillets and add butter and thyme to pan. Tilt pan slightly to let the melted butter pool at one end. Use a spoon to baste the fish with the pooled butter. Continue basting until golden all over and cooked through, 45 to 90 seconds more, depending on the thickness of your fish. Serve immediately with chopped parsley (if using) and lemon wedges.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 461, UnsaturatedFat 25 grams, Carbohydrate 5 grams, Fat 37 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 29 grams, SaturatedFat 10 grams, Sodium 471 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 1 gram
GRILLED SEA BASS FILLETS: BRANZINO AI FERRI
Steps:
- Prepare the sea bass by snipping off the side and back fins with a strong pair of scissors. With a fish scaler or large, strong knife, scrape off the scales. This is best done by holding the fish by the tail in a sink and scraping downward. It is essential to do this thoroughly. Clean the fish by running a sharp knife up from the base of the belly to the head. Remove the innards and rinse the fish well.
- To cut into fillets, lie the fish on its side and, using a sharp filleting knife, carefully slice along the backbone, from tail to head, keeping close to the bones with the blade so as not to waste any flesh. Then cut downward around the head, which will enable you to remove the fillet. Repeat this on the other side of the fish.
- Place the fillets skin side down and run your hand over them to check for any bones. Pull out any that remain using tweezers. Cut each fillet into 3 equal portions.
- Lightly brush the pieces of fish with oil, season well with salt and pepper, and grill for 3 minutes on each side, or until cooked.
- Serve with lemon.
BRANZINO MEDITERRANEAN
This simple, healthy, and delicious Mediterranean fish, also known as 'Greek Sea Bass', should be cooked whole. The cavity of the fish can be stuffed with lemon and other ingredients for added flavor. It is a very mild-tasting and versatile fish. The oregano and lemon make it truly Greek cuisine that many will enjoy. Can be found wild-caught in many stores. Enjoy!
Provided by Christala
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Greek
Time 40m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 11
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 379.9 calories, Carbohydrate 6.6 g, Cholesterol 117.3 mg, Fat 12.6 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 53 g, SaturatedFat 2.4 g, Sodium 236.8 mg, Sugar 1.9 g
PAN-SEARED BRANZINO
This pan-seared branzino recipe is a speedy dinner for two that can be ready in about 10 minutes. It's a fancy dish you can serve for a romantic dinner without breaking your wallet.
Provided by Rika
Categories Main Course
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- With your hand at least 12 inches away, lightly sprinkle salt and black pepper on both sides of fish fillets in a single layer, right before cooking.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add oil and heat it for a few seconds until shimmers, and let it spread across the pan.
- Cook fish fillets, skin-side up for about 45-60 seconds or until lightly golden browned. At this point, you only need to give the flesh a nice golden color as it will continue to cook after flipping.
- Carefully flip the fish fillets and cook the skin for about 2 minutes. Using a spatula, hold for a few seconds to ensure even cooking and crisp skin all over.
- Add butter, thyme, and fresh lemon juice to the pan. Tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to baste the fish with melted butter. Continue basting for a few seconds until the fish is fully cooked and the skin is crispy.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 247 kcal, Carbohydrate 1 g, Protein 15 g, Fat 20 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, TransFat 1 g, Cholesterol 98 mg, Sodium 60 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, UnsaturatedFat 11 g, ServingSize 1 serving
PAN-SEARED BRANZINO WITH TOMATO AND CAPERS
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories main-dish
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
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.
PAN FRY GARLIC BUTTER BRANZINO
This recipe is fast and simple to make. If you're a garlic and/or butter lover, you can add more of it.
Provided by amyheu
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 20m
Yield 3 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Rinse the Branzino fish filets and pat it dry with a paper towel.
- Dash of salt on one side of the fish filets only. Do not salt both sides. Fish do not need a lot of salt. Add black pepper.
- With frying pan on stove top, turn heat on medium high.
- Put butter and extra virgin olive oil in pan. Wait until butter melts and sizzles, then add garlic.
- When garlic is fragrant and lightly brown, add in the fresh basil. This will crisp up the basil.
- Immediately, put in the Branzino fish filets and pan fry for 3 minutes.
- Pour lemon juice onto fish into pan. Flip over fish filets and pan fry for another 3 minutes or until nice crisp brown colors on the edges.
- Turn off heat and plate the fish filets with your choice of sides. Don't forget to pour some of that garlic butter sauce onto the fish filets. Sprinkled some fresh minced parsley on top of dish and enjoy!
Tips:
- Choose the right fish: Branzino is a delicate fish with a mild flavor, making it perfect for sautéing. Other firm-fleshed fish that can be substituted for branzino include sea bass, tilapia, and flounder.
- Season the fish well: Before cooking, season the fish with salt, pepper, and other herbs and spices of your choice. This will help to enhance the flavor of the fish.
- Use a non-stick skillet: A non-stick skillet will help to prevent the fish from sticking and breaking apart. If you don't have a non-stick skillet, you can use a regular skillet with a little bit of oil or butter.
- Cook the fish over medium heat: Cooking the fish over medium heat will help to prevent it from overcooking and becoming dry. It will also allow the flavors of the fish to develop.
- Flip the fish only once: When sautéing fish, it's important to flip it only once. Flipping the fish too often can cause it to break apart.
- Cook the fish until it's cooked through: The best way to tell if the fish is cooked through is to insert a fork into the thickest part of the fish. If the fish flakes easily, it's cooked through.
Conclusion:
Sautéed branzino is a simple but delicious dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With its mild flavor and delicate texture, branzino is a versatile fish that can be paired with a variety of sides. Whether you're looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal or a special occasion dish, sautéed branzino is sure to please.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love