Branzino With Florida Amazu Sauce Recipes

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.

BRANZINO WITH PUTTANESCA

Steps:

• For the puttanesca: To the bowl of a food processor, add the peppers, garlic, olives, capers, tomato paste, anchovy paste and salt. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. With the motor running, add 1 tablespoon water and the olive oil in a steady stream until emulsified and smooth. Pour the sauce into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• For the branzino: Dry the branzino fillets well with paper towels. Score the skin of each fillet three times with a sharp knife. Sprinkle with the salt.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lay 4 fillets, skin-side down, in the pan; press gently to ensure full contact with the pan. Cook until the skin is golden brown and the flesh is opaque at the edges, 2 minutes. Flip the fillets and cook for an additional 10 seconds; remove to a plate. Wipe out the pan and repeat with the remaining oil and fish.
• To serve, spread some sauce on each serving plate and shingle 2 fillets on top. Drizzle with a little more sauce if desired.

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.

PAN-SEARED BRANZINO

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.

BRANZINO WITH ARUGULA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, add egg, cook 6 minutes, drain and set aside. Place a Silpat or sheet of parchment paper in a baking dish large enough to hold the fish. Brush Silpat or paper with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Brush fish on both sides with another 1/2 tablespoon of oil and place in dish, skin side down. Combine fleur de sel, pink peppercorns, thyme and lemon zest and scatter on fish.
• Peel egg and coarsely chop. Into a blender, add egg, arugula, chervil, parsley, 3 tablespoons water, the lemon juice and the 1/3 cup olive oil. Process to a fine purée. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Put fish in the oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until just cooked through. Spread sauce on each of 4 warm dinner plates. Cut each fillet in four pieces and place two pieces on each plate, on the arugula sauce. Season fish with salt and pepper. Garnish with arugula and serve.

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.

BRANZINO WITH HERBS AND TOMATO JAM

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add mustard seeds, coriander, and cardamom and cook, stirring often, until mustard seeds begin to pop, about 1 minute. Add shallots, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add fish sauce, sugar, turmeric, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, until tomatoes are falling apart and mixture thickens, 35-45 minutes. Mix in lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Let cool (you should have about 3 cups).
• DO AHEAD: Tomato jam can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Season fish lightly with salt and pepper. Lay 4 large rectangular pieces of parchment paper on a work surface. Spoon 1/4 cup reserved tomato jam in the center of 1 side of each sheet; top with fish, then another 1/2 cup tomato jam. Fold parchment paper over fish and crimp edges tightly to form a sealed packet. Place packets on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Bake fish, rotating halfway through, 30 minutes.
• Open packets and top fish with herbs.

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.