My fascination with branzino began not in a restaurant, but in a novel.
Years ago, our book club paired Amor Towles’ “A Gentleman in Moscow” with a Russian dinner inspired by the book. When Count Alexander dines at Moscow’s elegant Metropole Hotel — the five-star hotel, by the way, is still there — Chef Emile Zhukovsky serves whole branzino roasted with black olives, fennel and lemon.
Towles even includes the recipe: “By setting his oven to 450 degrees, Emile ensured that the flesh of the fish was tender, the fennel aromatic, and the lemon slices blackened and crisp.”
I had never roasted a whole fish before, nor had I ever cooked fish at 450 degrees, but the fishmonger at Dry Dock Fish, 1015 E. Commonwealth in Fullerton, my favorite source for all things that swim, sold me a beautiful branzino and suggested nothing more than a rub of olive oil, salt and pepper. Splendid!
Branzino is the Italian name for European sea bass. This Mediterranean fish has a mild, delicate, slightly sweet white flesh and can be served pan-seared, grilled or roasted, usually prepared with olive oil, lemon, and herbs.
Ever since that first successful roast, I’ve become incapable of passing up branzino on a menu. Which explains why one dish at Malibu Farm on Lido Isle immediately caught my eye: DIY Branzino Tacos.
The whole crispy fish arrives flanked by warm corn tortillas, pickled cabbage slaw, cucumber pico de gallo, pepper jack cheese, avocado crema and your choice of quinoa or rice. The idea is simple: build your own tacos by lifting pieces of crisp-skinned branzino straight from the fish.
Founder and chef Helene Henderson claims she prefers simply prepared food with “no secret ingredients” and generously shares many of her recipes on her website, malibu-farm.com and in her “Malibu Farm Cookbook.”
To prepare this dish at home and ensure extra-crispy skin, make sure the fish is completely dry. Cutting slits in the fish ensures that it won’t curl up when it hits the hot pan.
Use a heavy stainless steel skillet or a cast-iron pan and an oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, avocado, or grapeseed. Place the fish skin-side down in the pan and immediately press down firmly with a fish spatula for 10-15 seconds to ensure the entire skin makes even contact with the hot surface.
Resist the temptation to turn it or move it. The skin will naturally release from the pan once it is perfectly crisp and fully cooked on that side. If it resists when you try to lift it, it is not ready to flip yet. (This trick works equally well when browning skin-on chicken.)
Whether your introduction to branzino comes from the pages of a novel or a Newport Beach restaurant, this Mediterranean favorite deserves a place on your table.
Fullerton’s Judy Bart Kancigor is the author of “Cooking Jewish” and “The Perfect Passover Cookbook.” Her website is cookingjewish.com.
MALIBU FARM DIY PAN-ROASTED TACOS WITH QQL
From Helene Henderson, owner and chef, Malibu Farm in Newport Beach
For the fish:
1. Pat skin-on branzino fillets completely dry with paper towel; score skin lightly with sharp knife.
2. Rub both sides generously with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a mix of olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place fish skin-side down, pressing gently so skin stays flat and gets crispy (about 3 to 4 minutes).
4. Add lemon slices to pan, flip fish gently, and cook another 1-2 minutes until just cooked through.
5. Flake warm, crispy branzino into your corn tortillas and layer with slaw, pico de gallo, and cilantro crema. Serve with QQL (quinoa + quinoa + lentils).
For the QQL (quinoa + quinoa + lentils):
Ingredients:
• 1 cup red quinoa – cooked according to package instructions
• 1 cup white quinoa – cooked according to package instructions
• 1 cup black lentils – cooked according to package instructions
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice from one lemon
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 cup fresh herbs, chopped
• Salt to taste
Method:
1. Cook to package instructions, but always make sure quinoa starts to bloom, i.e., open up. Cook lentils under rather than over so it does not turn into mush.
2. Combine cooked and drained quinoa and lentils with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and lots of herbs, and season to taste with salt.