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A whole roasted fish topped with green herbs sits on a platter with roasted red potatoes, sliced fennel, and greens, drizzled with herb sauce. The food is arranged on an oval dish on a wooden table.

Whole Roasted Branzino with Pesto Potatoes & Herb Fennel Salad

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Whole branzino stuffed with a rustic herb pesto and par-cooked fingerling potatoes, grilled over live fire, and served over a bright herb and fennel salad.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner, Grilling, Seafood
Cuisine: Italian Inspired, Mediterranean

Ingredients
  

Pesto
  • 2 cups fresh basil and parsley
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 lemon zested
  • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
Potatoes
  • ¾ lb fingerling potatoes
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Branzino
  • 2 whole branzino 1.5 – 2 lbs each, cleaned
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
Herb Fennel Salad
  • 1 large fennel bulb
  • ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
  • ¼ cup fresh tarragon leaves
  • ¼ cup fresh dill fronds
  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 tablespoon champagne vinegar
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • flaky sea salt

Equipment

  • Food processor
  • Grill or grill pan
  • Medium Pot
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Microplane
  • toothpicks or butcher's twine
  • Instant-read thermometer

Method
 

  1. Add basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon zest, and flaky salt to a food processor. Pulse until chunky, not smooth.
  2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Par-cook fingerling potatoes for 8 – 10 minutes until just tender. Drain and toss with olive oil and salt.
  3. Pat the branzino dry. Season the cavity generously with salt and pepper.
  4. Stuff each fish with half the pesto and half the potatoes. Pin closed with toothpicks or tie with twine.
  5. Score the skin lightly on each side. Rub exterior with olive oil and salt.
  6. Heat the grill to medium-high and oil the grates well. Branzino skin is delicate and can stick. It should sizzle on contact. If it goes on silent, let the grill heat longer.
  7. Grill over medium-high heat for 6 – 8 minutes per side, until skin is charred and crisp and internal temp reads 130°F at the spine.
  8. Combine shaved fennel, parsley, tarragon, dill, mint, and shallot in a bowl.
  9. Dress with champagne vinegar, olive oil, flaky salt, and black pepper just before serving.
  10. Lay salad as a base, place whole branzino over top, finish with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

For seasoning, I always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you use Morton, use half.
Storage: cover and refrigerate leftover fish and potatoes for up to 2 days. The fennel salad is best dressed fresh; keep undressed components separate if making ahead.

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