Branzino in Salsa Picante

Name: Branzino in Salsa Picante
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 (1 1/4 lb) striped bass, small (cleaned, scaled, and heads removed); kosher salt, to taste; white pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 1 cup basil, tough stems removed; 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling); 1 onion, small, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 red chili pepper (cayenne type, thin small); 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped; 1 cup dry white wine; 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped; 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed; 1/4 cup black olives, pitted (such as kalamata or Taggiasche); 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Submitted by Busters friend

"This dish is rich with tomatoes, capers and olives. Stashing for summertime use when the anglers come home with their sea bass, snapper, croakers & sheepshead. May even work with bluefish as the flavors are bold and assertive. Will be tasty on a hot evening on the porch accompanied by an icy 7 oz Rolling Rock. Found in The Washington Post who adapted from "Cucina of Le Marche," by Fabio Trabocchi (Workman, 2006)."

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photo by Jonathan Melendez

Ready In:: 40mins
Ingredients:: 14
Serves:: 6

ingredients

2 (1 1/4 lb) striped bass, small (cleaned, scaled, and heads removed)
kosher salt, to taste
white pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1 cup basil, tough stems removed
1 ¹⁄₂ cups extra virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
1 onion, small, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red chili pepper (cayenne type, thin small)
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
¹⁄₄ cup black olives, pitted (such as kalamata or Taggiasche)
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Have ready a flameproof baking dish or roasting pan large enough to hold the fish in a single layer.
Rinse the fish well and pat dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and pepper, inside and out. Stuff each fish with half the basil. Rub 1/4 cup of the olive oil into the skin of the fish, and set aside.
Place the baking dish or roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 cup of the olive oil, the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the chopped chili pepper and bell pepper, and cook for 3 minutes, or until they have softened. Add the wine and cook for about 5 minutes, or until it has reduced by one-third. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tomatoes, capers and olives. When the sauce starts to bubble around the edges, remove from direct heat and keep it warm on the stovetop.
Heat the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until it shimmers. Sear the fish for 3 minutes on each side, then transfer to the baking dish and baste with the sauce. Cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and bake for 8 minutes. Uncover and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Bake for about 10 minutes, basting every 3 to 4 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through. Transfer the fish and sauce to a serving platter. Sprinkle with the parsley, drizzle with olive oil and serve hot.

Questions & Replies

Where can I get Brazino

cynthia r.
Where in the world do you get the striped sea bass? I haven't seen sea bass in a store in years. Maybe you go fishing??

adfoote

Reviews

Branzino is my favorite fish. I always order it at a restaurant when it's on the menu. I've never had it in a spicy tomato sauce before and now I'm hooked! I've made it twice for dinner and can't get enough.

Jonathan Melendez
This is a delicious, healthy recipe. My only warning is that the the time estimate was way too optimistic. It took us more than 30 minutes to prep and about 40 min to saut?/bake - but still worth it!

Avdimeo
This was delicious and so flavorful! We followed directions exactly and everyone enjoyed! Will make this again and again! Make sure you get the right olives! Our side dishes included ginger and garlic broccoli and brown rice.

Go2yourdestiny

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Busters friend

Pleasure Island, 73

First about Buster: Buster moved onto whatever comes next on February 26, 2008. He was just shy of five years old. I miss him terribly. He came into our lives when he ran out in front of my car late one night as I was driving home. A just under 4 pound ball of kitten fluff, complete with an ostrich boa tail that stayed straight up as he assessed his new domain. He became a 19 pound longhaired beast who guarded our house (he followed any new guests or servicepeople the entire time they are on the property) & even killed copperheads (among other things with his hunting buddy, Fergus the short-tailed)! Friends never saw his formidible side as he smiled at them & uttered the most incongruent kitten-like mews as he threaded legs! He liked to ride in the car & came to the beach. There are Buster-approved recipes in my offerings - however, HE decided which he wanted to consider - Buster demonstrated he liked pumpkin anything - ALOT -LOL!!! Copperhead count 2006 - Buster 2 (10 inchers w/yellow tails) 2007 - Buster & Roxie 1 (a 24 incher!) Buster woken from beauty sleep - http://www.recipezaar.com/members/home/62264/DSCN0335.JPG Big whiskers - http://www.recipezaar.com/members/home/62264/DSCN0333.JPG For those of you who gave kind condolences - thank you so very much. http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=250301 I love to cook & incorporate techniques from Southern/Mid Atlantic roots (grits, eastern NC BBQ shoulders, Brunswick stew, steamed crabs & shrimp & shellfish, hushpuppies, cornbread, greens, shad roe, scrapple) with Pacific Rim foods & techniques aquired while living in Pacific Northwest, fish & game recipes learned while living in Rocky Mountain region & foods/techniques learned travelling to the Big Island & up into BC & Alberta & into the Caribbean. The Middle Eastern/African likes I have are remnants of my parents who lived for many years in North Africa & Mediterranean before I was thought of. Makes for wide open cooking! Since moving back east we try to go annually in the deep winter to Montreal (Old Montreal auberges & La Reine) & Quebec City (Winter Carnival & Chateau Frontenac)- for unctuous foie gras & real cheeses, French & Canadian meals prepared & served exquisitely, fantastic music & wonderful people - with the cold helping burn off some of the calories! I love putting in our aluminum jonboat & heading across the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to the barrier islands for foraging & exploring! Bodysurfing is a lifelong sport for me - one that a person's body never seems to forget how to do, once the knack is learned (thank goodness!) I especially miss cool summers & foggy/drizzly days & fall mushroom foraging/anytime of year hot springing in WA, OR, MT, ID, BC & Alberta.

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