"Being from the South of France," Filoni continues, "I believe this is the best way to cook a whole fish. It is roasted in its juice and body fat, with no vegetable oil or butter searing or grilling. The combination epitomizes the Mediterranean diet itself. It is a dish you can enjoy all year long and especially during the holidays with friends and family.”
“This is a dish that embodies the essence of the Riviera & Cote D’Azur, made traditionally with local Loup de Mer, the vegetables representing Provence, and the fresh tomato sauce capturing an array of flavors.
Being from the South of France, to me this is the best way to cook a whole fish. It is roasted in its juice and body fat, with no vegetable oil or butter searing or grilling, and the combination epitomizes the Mediterranean diet itself. It is a dish you can enjoy all year long and especially during the holidays with friends and family.”
Salt-Crusted Branzino
Ingredients:
2ea 2.2 lbs. whole Branzino, cleaned, not scaled
3 lbs. coarse sea salt (or kosher salt)
2 cups egg whites
6 fresh thyme sprigs
Method:
Place some fresh thyme sprigs into the mouth of each cleaned branzino and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 450º F.
To prepare the salt crust mixture, in a large mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until frothy. Add the coarse sea salt to the egg whites until they are mixed completely. This will produce a consistency similar to wet sand. Set aside for a few minutes.
Arrange a layer of salt crust mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the two fish on top of the layer of salt crust. Then cover both fish with the remaining salt crust mixture to completely seal in the fish.
Bake in a convection oven at 450º F for 22 minutes or until a paring knife inserted into the thickest part of the fish comes out warm. (Add 10-15 minutes to baking time for conventional oven).
Using a large spatula under the parchment paper and lift the fish off the hot pan onto another surface. Let the fish cool for a few minutes, then crack the salt away from each fish.
Carefully lift each fish filet from its bones, be careful to remove each central pin bone. Place each filet on a large oval platter or onto a single round plate.
Sauce Vierge:
Ingredients:
4 ea tomatoes on the vine, ripened, blanched & peeled, seeded & diced.
1 tsp fresh lemon juice.
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted & ground
2 Tsp fresh sliced basil
Salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste
Method:
1. 1. In a small bowl. Whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, basil, and tomato, finish with the coriander. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
2. 2. The sauce will be spooned onto the Branzino filets before serving.
Tian of Vegetables (potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, onions, tomatoes)
Ingredients:
2 large Spanish onions, peeled and sliced thin
½ lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 in thick
½ lb. Roma tomatoes, sliced. 1/4 in thick
2 ea zucchini, sliced. 1/4 in thick
1 medium eggplant, (Japanese eggplant can be used as an alternative), sliced 1/4 in thick
2 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and chopped
2 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese
Method:
In a hot pan, add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Add the sliced onions and cook until the onions are caramelized (they should have a golden brown color). Add chopped thyme and deglaze the pan with the two cups of white wine. Cook until the wine evaporates.
Preheat oven to 375 º F.
In a bowl, combine the potatoes and the tomatoes. Toss with salt and pepper, and coat with extra virgin olive oil. Allow the potatoes and tomatoes to rest for a few minutes, then separate the potatoes and tomatoes and set aside.
In a hot pan, sauté the zucchini and the eggplant separately, giving the vegetables a quick sear on both sides and seasoning with salt & pepper. Let rest on a paper towel or on a screen if you have.
On a baking plate, arrange the caramelized onions evenly on the bottom. Alternate layers of tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini and eggplant until they are all used up and the onions are covered. Cover with foil and bake in a convection oven for 30-35 minutes (add 10-15 minutes to cooking time for conventional oven), until the potatoes are tender. Remove the foil and sprinkle the top of the tian with Parmesan cheese. Place the dish back, uncovered in the oven for another 15 minutes or until brown on top. Finish with drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.