Grilled Tuscan Branzino with Salsa Verde
SERVINGS: 4
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes
COURSE: Main
Our Tuscan Branzino is special. It’s exclusive to us—we're the only U.S. importer—and it’s also fresh. Seriously fresh. As in, we’ll get it to you less than 24 hours after it leaves the water in Italy, fresh. This simple recipe showcases it at its best. You give the fish a quick grill, achieving smoky char marks on each side of the fillet. And you pair it with a bright salsa verde, packed with fresh herbs, shallot, umami-rich anchovy paste, and more. It comes together in just 20 minutes, too, making it a meal you can enjoy on a weeknight just as easily on a weekend.
Ingredients
For the Salsa Verde:
- 1 Tbsp. anchovy paste
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
- 1 Tbsp. capers, drained
- 1.5 cups (loosely packed) soft herbs (such as parsley, chives, basil, cilantro)
- 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Branzino:
- 4 Citarella Tuscan Branzino Fillets (about 6-8 oz. per portion)
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing on the grill
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat grill or grill pan on medium-high heat.
- Make the Salsa Verde: Combine all of the ingredients in the base of a blender. Pulse until combined and desired consistency is reached. (A slightly chunky or smooth texture is a matter of preference.)
- Cook the fish: Dry the fillets with a paper towel. Drizzle the surface of the fish with the extra-virgin olive oil and coat both sides. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place the fish flesh-side down on the oiled grill grates (or grill pan). Cook for about 2 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until the meat is slightly firm and opaque-white.
- Spoon the salsa verde on top of the grilled branzino and serve.
Begin Each Recipe with the Finest Seafood
Citarella owner, Joe Gurrera has 7 rules when it comes to cooking seafood. The first rule is to begin with the freshest, highest quality ingredients. And at Citarella, we have been bringing in the best for over a century. Whether it’s right out of the Atlantic, fresh from the Pacific, or sourced from one of the world’s most principled seafood farms, if it’s sold at Citarella, it’s the finest seafood available on the market today. Period.
