Branzino Recipe

How to Clean Branzino

1. Rinse the fish with cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Lay the fish on a cutting board. Using a Chef's knife, scrape off the scales using an upward motion. Ensure both sides of the branzino are properly scaled and cleaned off, paying attention to the sides of the fish as well.

How to Cut Whole Branzino to Branzino Filet

1. Position the Chef's knife horizontally. Start at the tail and slice into the flesh, making sure to get as close to the bone as possible to extract the most fillet from the fish. Slice in an upward motion, cutting the fillet off the body. Repeat the same process on the other side of the fish, leaving out the stomach and head sections. Ensure that you slice off as much flesh as possible.
2. Cut the branzino fillet into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
3. In a container, mix together all the ingredients for the marinade. Stir to combine well. Add the branzino fillet into the marinade, ensuring both sides are evenly coated. Cover the container and let it marinate in the fridge for 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

How to Grill Branzino

1. You can grill the fish fillet using an outdoor grill or a pan grill. Heat a skillet on medium heat with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Place the fish fillet in the skillet, skin side down. Pan-grill the fish until the skin turns crispy, about 1 minute. Gently flip the fillet and cook the other side until the fish is cooked through and slightly browned and charred.
2. Transfer the fish gently and let it cool on the plate. To smoke the fish, heat up a stovetop smoker with 1 tablespoon of wood chips. Place the fish on a sheet of aluminum foil and cover with the lid.
3. Turn on medium-low heat and smoke for 5 minutes. Remove the smoker from the heat and let the fish smoke for an additional 5 minutes.
4. Transfer the Branzino fish to a plate and serve immediately with microgreens and Japanese salmon roe (ikura).