Ingredients
b
1 whole branzino, gutted, scaled, deboned, fins removed
S
Salt, to taste
B
Black pepper, to taste
o
2 tablespoons olive oil
F
For the Cheater’s Romesco:
o
1 (16 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
r
½ cup raw or roasted almonds (unsalted)
o
¼ cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, rinsed and drained
g
2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
s
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
s
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
f
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
c
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
e
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
F
For the Lemony Fennel:
f
1 fennel bulb, thinly shaved
c
2 - 3 tablespoons chopped tarragon
J
½ Juice of lemon
O
Olive oil, for drizzling
S
Salt and black pepper, to taste
L
Lemon cheek, for serving
Directions
1
For the Cheater’s Romesco:
1
In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients except the olive oil. Blend on low speed until roughly combined, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while blending. Blend until smooth but still slightly textured. Taste and adjust with salt or vinegar as needed. Set aside.
o
1 16 ounce jar (16 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
r
½ cup raw or roasted almonds (unsalted)
o
¼ cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, rinsed and drained
g
2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
s
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
s
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
f
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
c
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
e
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2
For the Lemony Fennel:
1
In a small bowl, combine shaved fennel, chopped tarragon, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat and let sit for a few minutes to lightly soften.
f
1 fennel bulb, thinly shaved
c
2 - 3 tablespoons chopped tarragon
J
½ Juice of lemon
O
Olive oil, for drizzling
S
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2
For the Branzino:
1
Pat your branzino completely dry using paper towels. Season the flesh side with salt and pepper. Season the skin side only with salt.
b
1 whole branzino, gutted, scaled, deboned, fins removed
S
Salt, to taste
B
Black pepper, to taste
2
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, lay the fish in skin side down, away from you. Press gently with a spatula for the first minute to keep the skin flat and ensure even contact. Cook until the fish turns from translucent to opaque nearly all the way up the sides. Turn off the heat, flip the fish, and let it sit for another minute in the residual heat to finish cooking.
o
2 tablespoons olive oil
3
To serve, spoon a layer of romesco sauce onto the plate. Place the fish skin side up over the sauce. Add a small mound of lemon-fennel salad beside the fish. Finish with a lemon cheek on the side.
L
Lemon cheek, for serving
