Stuffed Branzino With Walnuts And Pomegranate Recipes

FISH STUFFED WITH HERBS, WALNUTS AND POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 475 degrees. Set a large frying pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When oil shimmers, add shallots and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes until the shallots are tender and golden brown.
• Meanwhile, place herbs, scallions, garlic and walnuts in a large bowl. Stir well with a wooden spoon to combine.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan, then add the herb mixture. Add a generous pinch of salt and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until herbs begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
• Combine zest, orange juice and lime juice in a small bowl or glass. Add 6 tablespoons of the juice mixture to the herbs and cook another 4 minutes, until the taste of raw garlic subsides and the liquid simmers away. Add pomegranate molasses and tobiko, if using. Cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes, until molasses is absorbed. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Season the fish with salt, inside and out. Lay the fish open on a cutting board and drizzle 1 tablespoon juice mixture onto the flesh of each fish. Spoon about 1/4 cup stuffing inside each fish and tie closed with kitchen twine spaced 2 inches apart.
• Lightly drizzle a baking sheet with olive oil and lay fish on the sheet. Drizzle remaining juice over fish. Roast until flesh is opaque, flaky and firm to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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.

SAFFRON LEMON BRANZINO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F with a rack in the middle position. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.
• Place the saffron and ice in a small bowl and set aside at room temperature until the ice melts. This will be your saffron water.
• Using a sharp knife, cut 5 or 6 slits, 1 inch apart, through the skin and flesh of each fish on one side. Salt and pepper both sides of the fish and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1 minute more.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the parsley, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, turmeric, 1 tablespoon of the saffron water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set the onion filling aside.
• Stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the remaining lemon juice and the remaining saffron water in a small bowl. Brush the insides of the fish with some of this saffron-lemon mixture, then stuff the cavities with the onion filling. Seal the cavities shut using 3 toothpicks along each open edge. Brush the top of the fish with some of the saffron and lemon mixture, then transfer the fish to the prepared sheet pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Brush the top of the fish with some of the saffron mixture, then bake until cooked through and the flesh flakes easily, about 15 minutes more (see Cook's Note). Remove the sheet pan from the oven and turn on the broiler.
• Brush the top of the fish with more of the saffron lemon mixture, then broil until the skin is golden and somewhat crispy, 3 to 5 minutes; keep a close eye to make sure the tops don't burn. Remove the toothpicks and serve with sabzi polo (see Cook's Note).