Lemon and Rosemary Grilled Whole Branzino

The thing I initially loved so much about NFT’z was the challenge.

I loooooooovvvvvvvveeeeeee a good challenge.

Sometimes I think the only reason I’m successful is because I love to win so much. I refuse to lose.

All the travel has taken its toll on my writing and cooking motivation. But when I saw these gorgeous whole Branzino (a European sea bass) my deep inner desire for a challenge was ignited.

A whole fish may seem completely intimidating. That’s natural. I was intimidated. That’s probably why it’s taken me almost five years to attempt it.

But in reality, it was a whole lot of hoopla for something that was really simple and stunningly fresh and delicious.

Now I don’t want you to be scared to try this at home. Your fish guy (or in my case gal) will gut the fish for you so it will be as simples as stuffing, grilling and serving. The only difficult part is the filleting of the fish, but if I can handle it you can handle it.

I even found a video to help get you through it.

Now you have no reason not to get after it.

You will need…

Whole branzino (I recommend ½ to a whole fish per person depending on how much they eat)

3 sprigs of rosemary per fish

4 lemon slices per fish

1 tablespoon olive oil per fish plus extra to brush the grill

Lots of salt and pepper to taste

Start by oiling the grates of your grill with olive oil. It is very important that your fish and your grill are well oiled so you don’t lose skin while grilling.

Turn your grill to a medium-high heat.

While your grill is heating, season the cavity of your fish well with salt and pepper. Stuff the fish with lemon wedges and rosemary and close the fish up tight.

Rub down each fish with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil per fish and then season the skin well with salt and pepper.

When your grill is nice and hot, place the fish on a pretty hot part of the grill. 

Cook the fish about twelve minutes a side filliping it gently once with a large spatula.

Once your fish has great grill marks and is cooked through, remove it to a warm platter to filet.

Chop off the head and tail of the fish and gently remove the fin bone and center bone. 

The flesh of the cheekbones is really tasty so you may want to get a bit of that action before tossing the heads.

Serve your filets hot on a platter topped with some of the grilled lemon and rosemary.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Lemon and Rosemary Grilled Whole Branzino

Whole branzino (I recommend ½ to a whole fish per person depending on how much they eat)

3 sprigs of rosemary per fish

4 lemon slices per fish

1 tablespoon olive oil per fish plus extra to brush the grill

Lots of salt and pepper to taste

Start by oiling the grates of your grill with olive oil. It is very important that your fish and your grill are well oiled so you don’t lose skin while grilling.

Turn your grill to a medium-high heat.

While your grill is heating, season the cavity of your fish well with salt and pepper. Stuff the fish with lemon wedges and rosemary and close the fish up tight.

Rub down each fish with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil per fish and then season the skin well with salt and pepper.

When your grill is nice and hot, place the fish on a pretty hot part of the grill. Cook the fish about twelve minutes a side filliping it gently once with a large spatula.

 Once your fish has great grill marks and is cooked through, remove it to a warm platter to filet.

Chop off the head and tail of the fish and gently remove the fin bone and center bone. The flesh of the cheekbones is really tasty so you may want to get a bit of that action before tossing the heads.

Serve your filets hot on a platter topped with some of the grilled lemon and rosemary. 

Roasted Turbot with Leek, Tomato and Parsnip Broth

Happy Valentines Day my loves!

Even though I will be running around most of the day prepping for my work’s biggest trade show of the year which will be immediately followed by a trip to NYC and another giant show, love is in the air.

I know I say this to you every year, but don’t worry so much today about the “love” of your life and focus on the LOVE that is all around you. Friendly love. Brotherly love. Coworker love. Love is all around and lets celebrate it!

Wes and I will be celebrating our usual way with barbequed lobsters and couch snuggling.

If you are still looking for something to cook up for your date, your family or just yourself, I’ve got just the thing for you.

Of course you can always go with the tried and true lobster, but if you aren’t a fan or don’t have access this dish is for you.

This is a rework of a dish I did at the very beginning of my cooking and when I decided to start doing remixes I couldn’t stop myself from dusting this off and mixing it up. Let’s just go ahead and say Martha’s version has nothing on mine.

You will need…

1 ½ lbs turbot, cut into smaller pieces about 1 inch x 2 inches (Turbot is a mild white fish similar to halibut. If you can’t find turbot you could sub halibut or cod which is what the dish originally called for.)

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium parsnip, peeled and diced into ½ inch cubes

2 leeks, white and light green parts sliced ¼ inch thick

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes

3 cups chicken stock

½ lemon juiced plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Salt and pepper to taste

Crust bread for serving

Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees F.

In a small bowl, toss together the parsnips and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss the parsnips well until they are lightly coated and then spread them out in a oven safe baking dish.

Roast the parsnips until they are golden brown, stirring once halfway though. About 20 minutes.

While the parsnips are roasting, combine the leeks, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, tomatoes and remaining olive oil in a bowl and toss well till combined. Season well with salt and pepper.

When the parsnips are done, pour in the leek and tomato mixture and continue to roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until the leeks have softened and the tomatoes are starting to burst.

While the leeks and tomatoes are roasting, heat the chicken stock over medium high heat in a saucepan until it is hot.

Season the fish well with salt and pepper.

After the leeks and tomatoes have roasted for a bit on their own, pour in the chicken stock and nestle the fish into the mixture. Add back to the oven and continue to roast until the fish is cooked though, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Spoon the broth, veggies and fish into a bowl and serve hot with crusty bread.

Lots of extra love and beer floats!

Angela

Roasted Turbot with Leek, Tomato and Parsnip Broth 

1 ½ lbs turbot, cut into smaller pieces about 1 inch x 2 inches

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium parsnip, peeled and diced into ½ inch cubes

2 leeks, white and light green parts sliced ¼ inch thick

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes

3 cups chicken stock

½ lemon juiced plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Salt and pepper to taste

Crust bread for serving

Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees F.

In a small bowl, toss together the parsnips and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss the parsnips well until they are lightly coated and then spread them out in a oven safe baking dish.

Roast the parsnips until they are golden brown, stirring once halfway though. About 20 minutes.

While the parsnips are roasting, combine the leeks, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, tomatoes and remaining olive oil in a bowl and toss well till combined. Season well with salt and pepper.

When the parsnips are done, pour in the leek and tomato mixture and continue to roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until the leeks have softened and the tomatoes are starting to burst.

While the leeks and tomatoes are roasting, heat the chicken stock over medium high heat in a saucepan until it is hot.

Season the fish well with salt and pepper.

After the leeks and tomatoes have roasted for a bit on their own, pour in the chicken stock and nestle the fish into the mixture. Add back to the oven and continue to roast until the fish is cooked though, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Spoon the broth, veggies and fish into a bowl and serve hot with crusty bread.

Broiled Sea Bass with Lemon Aioli

Four people currently live in my house. Me, Mom, Dad and Albert.

Wesley, Albert’s girlfriend Samm and Joshua make frequent appearances, but for the most part there are just the four of us.

When we started this year, I was the only one with a full blown, full time job.

Albert and my dad dabbled in things here and there, but everyone’s schedules were pretty open.

In a matter of two months, I got a new job that involves a lot of travel, Albert got a job an hour from home and Dad got a job where half his job is travel.

We went from zero to BUSY in no time flat.

Which means less time in the kitchen. That does NOT mean less delicious things being made. It just means I need to be making tasty things faster. We can’t be having any more ten in the evening dinners in the Samuels home.

So here is something absolutely DELICIOUS, that takes no time at all.

You will need…

4 sea bass fillets, about 6 ounces each

1 large lemon, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

12 small bay leaves (or a few big ones ripped into 12 small pieces)

4 cups arugula

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or other fancy light vinegar)

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating the broiler.

Arrange the lemon slices in a small roasting pan and drizzle the lemons with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season them with salt and pepper.

Broil the lemons until they are lightly browned. About 10 minutes.

Take 2 of the lemon slices and finely chop.

Transfer the chopped lemon to a bowl with the mayonnaise and cayenne pepper.

Stir until completely combined and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Drizzle the arugula with vinegar and toss until all the leaves are very lightly coated.

Make 4 slits about ½ inch deep in each piece of fish. Slip a piece of bay leaf into each slit.

Then, top the remaining lemons with the fish (skin side up if you have skin). Season with salt and pepper and scatter the thyme on the fish.

Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and broil for 10 to 12 minutes.

You want the skin to be browned and crisp and the fish to be cooked through.

Remove the bay leaves from the fish.

Place 1 cup of dressed arugula on a plate and top with a piece of fish.

Serve hot with lemon aioli. 

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Broiled Sea Bass with Lemon Aioli

4 sea bass fillets, about 6 ounces each

1 large lemon, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

12 small bay leaves (or a few big ones ripped into 12 small pieces)

4 cups arugula

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or other fancy light vinegar)

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating the broiler.

Arrange the lemon slices in a small roasting pan and drizzle the lemons with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season them with salt and pepper.

Broil the lemons until they are lightly browned. About 10 minutes.

Take 2 of the lemon slices and finely chop.

Transfer the chopped lemon to a bowl with the mayonnaise and cayenne pepper.

Stir until completely combined and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Drizzle the arugula with vinegar and toss until all the leaves are very lightly coated.

Make 4 slits about ½ inch deep in each piece of fish. Slip a piece of bay leaf into each slit.

Then, top the remaining lemons with the fish (skin side up if you have skin). Season with salt and pepper and scatter the thyme on the fish.

Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and broil for 10 to 12 minutes.

You want the skin to be browned and crisp and the fish to be cooked through.

Remove the bay leaves from the fish.

Place 1 cup of dressed arugula on a plate and top with a piece of fish.

Serve hot with lemon aioli. 

Red Onion and Peach Cod

Yesterday, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Figuratively of course. I always sleep on the right side of the bed.

I woke up and anything that looked at me made me cross.

No explanation, just pissed.

For whatever reason, I couldn’t shake it. So I ran around my office huffing and puffing until I got home.

And Wes suggested I skip my workout and instead take a walk down to the beach to watch the sunset. Angrily, I agreed.

By the time I got down to the water I realized that I can only be angry if I let myself be angry. That life is so beautiful that there is really no reason to be angry.

In yoga today, my thoughts were just reinforced when the lesson of the day at the end of class was about how the day is what you make of it.

So after yesterdays angry tirade, I’m going to make a better effort to make every day the day I want it to be.

And you should too.

Enough of myself reflective ramblings.

Here is a dish that is sure to turn any angry frown upside down.

Yes, I know that last line was lame.

You will need…

4 cod filets, each about ¼ pound (you can sub any white fish you like)

2 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 red onion, diced

2 peaches, peeled and diced

¼ cup dry white wine

1/2 cup basil, chopped

1 orange, juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F. 

While the oven is preheating, combine 1 tablespoon oil and the red onion in a small saucepan and cook the onions over medium heat until they are softened and brown. About 10 minutes. 

When the onions have browned, increase the heat to high and add in the peaches to the pan.

Cook down the peaches for 1 minute and then add in the wine. 

Simmer the mixture until the liquid is almost reduced. About 2 minutes. 

When the liquid has almost all evaporated, add in the orange juice and basil. 

Lower the heat to medium low and simmer the sauce for another five minutes. 

Season with salt and pepper and remove it from the heat. 

Then, season your fish with salt and pepper. 

In a large saute pan, add the remaining oil and heat it over medium high heat. When the oil is VERY hot, add the fish to the pan (if it has skin, skin side up) and saute the fish for 2 minutes. Make sure the oil is so hot that the cooking fish makes a sizzle sound. 

When the fish has been cooking for about 2 minutes (it should slide off the pan easily) flip the fish over and put the pan in the oven (please make sure its oven safe before you start). 

Bake the fish for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fish is opaque and cooked through. 

Drizzle the fish with the sauce and serve hot. 

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Red Onion and Peach Cod

4 cod filets, each about ¼ pound (you can sub any white fish you like)

2 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 red onion, diced

2 peaches, peeled and diced

¼ cup dry white wine

1/2 cup basil, chopped

1 orange, juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F. 

While the oven is preheating, combine 1 tablespoon oil and the red onion in a small saucepan and cook the onions over medium heat until they are softened and brown. About 10 minutes. 

When the onions have browned, increase the heat to high and add in the peaches to the pan.

Cook down the peaches for 1 minute and then add in the wine. 

Simmer the mixture until the liquid is almost reduced. About 2 minutes. 

When the liquid has almost all evaporated, add in the orange juice and basil. 

Lower the heat to medium low and simmer the sauce for another five minutes. 

Season with salt and pepper and remove it from the heat. 

Then, season your fish with salt and pepper. 

In a large saute pan, add the remaining oil and heat it over medium high heat. When the oil is VERY hot, add the fish to the pan (if it has skin, skin side up) and saute the fish for 2 minutes. Make sure the oil is so hot that the cooking fish makes a sizzle sound. 

When the fish has been cooking for about 2 minutes (it should slide off the pan easily) flip the fish over and put the pan in the oven (please make sure its oven safe before you start). 

Bake the fish for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fish is opaque and cooked through. 

Drizzle the fish with the sauce and serve hot. 

Spicy Cilantro and Ginger Tilapia

Whoop whoop! It’s my birthday week ya’ll.

In a mere 4 days, I will be celebrating twenty-six years of life.

And while birthdays used to get me all kinds of worked up because it meant parties and presents and cake, now I get all heated about my birthday for completely different reasons.

The older I get, the more I appreciate my birthday for the time I get to spend with the people I care most about rather than the fact that there is a party in my honor.

Instead of getting giddy over cake, I get jazzed about the delicious food and great conversation that I’ll get to have.

And the excitement I used to feel about presents has transformed into enthusiasm for every moment I’ve lived and get to live.

I bet you are wondering what has caused such heavy life reflection on a Monday.

Oh, you weren't? Too bad because I’m going to tell you anyway.  

I just finished watching the first three episodes of HBO’s latest show “Girls.” 

When I first heard rumblings about it, I didn’t think much of it. But after my brother's girlfriend Samm suggested I give it a try, I realized that EVERY woman should watch it.

Men, I’m not even going to attempt to talk you into watching this one. Chances are good most of you will not find the joy in it.

It took me back to a long list of ridiculous events, awkward moments and life lesson I’ve had. And mostly reminded me that I’m really REALLY glad they are over.

Half because most of them sucked, and half because I never have to experience and or learn them again.

So I’m sending an early thank you out to the twenty-six years of life I’ve lived. Hopefully I will learn just as much in the next twenty-six years. Just in a way less awkward way. 

And a thank you to this dish. Each bit of which was as brightly colored and bold as them moments of our crazy lives.

You will need…

1.5 lbs tilapia fillets (or any similar thin white fish)

2 jalapeno peppers, seed removed and chopped

6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

4 tablespoons soy sauce

¼ cup white wine (something you like drinking but isn't too pricey)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

½ cup chopped cilantro plus ¼ cup extra for garnish

Salt and pepper taste

Start by preheating your oven to 475 degrees F.

Pat your fish dry and place it in a glass baking dish. Season it well with salt and pepper.

Then, combine the peppers, garlic, ginger, cilantro, soy sauce, white wine and sesame oil in a food processor or blender.

Process the mixture until it is blended well.

Pour the sauce over the top of the fish, making sure to rub some of the sauce directly into the fish.

Then, bake the fish for 8 to 10 minutes until the fish is cooked through and flaky.

Serve immediately with about 1 tablespoon of cilantro garnish.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Spicy Cilantro and Ginger Tilapia

1.5 lbs tilapia fillets (or any similar thin white fish)

2 jalapeno peppers, seed removed and chopped

6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

4 tablespoons soy sauce

¼ cup white wine (something you like drinking but isn't too pricey)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

½ cup chopped cilantro plus ¼ cup extra for garnish

Salt and pepper taste

Start by preheating your oven to 475 degrees F.

Pat your fish dry and place it in a glass baking dish. Season it well with salt and pepper.

Then, combine the peppers, garlic, ginger, cilantro, soy sauce, white wine and sesame oil in a food processor or blender.

Process the mixture until it is blended well.

Pour the sauce over the top of the fish, making sure to rub some of the sauce directly into the fish.

Then, bake the fish for 8 to 10 minutes until the fish is cooked through and flaky.

Serve immediately with about 1 tablespoon of cilantro garnish.