MR BRANZINO MR BRANZINO! YUM

So  I took off on a mission to get some fish.  And not just any fish.  I was looking or should I say hoping that my grocery store had Orata.  Its specific to the Mediterranean and is comparable to a great snapper. It was there and quite pricey so my fishmonger suggested I try a fish called Branzino which at the time was a $3.00 difference compared to the Orata.  I trust him well enough and so I took the fish home while deciding what dish I would come up with.

Now if the Orata is comparable to Snapper then the Branzino can easily be compared to a Sea Bass.  In fact its called the European Sea Bass and can readily be found in North Italian waters.  If you need more info please WIKI it.  There is an extensive article but for the moment lets do the dish.

Branzino seasoned and ready to stuff.

I wanted this to be good! I mean how can you mess up Sea Bass?!  I’m sure it could be done but……  I remembered going to a barbeque in the Bronx, (Jamaican), where this guy made Roasted Fish.  Whole fish stuffed with okra scallion all spice salt and pepper and the resident pepper wrapped in foil and roasted on the grill. 

Lobster meat and chopped Scallion

Chopped fresh Thyme, Peppercorns and Allspice

No Scotch Bonnet but Habanero serves just as well.

 He also put that Jamaican cracker (water biscuit ) in each fish.

Jamaican biscuit (Water Crackers)

  


This sounded like a good start, but tweaked with a bit of lobster, it can only grow into a masterpiece!  I don’t mean to toot my own horn, fact is that you can do this too and just as simple!
Lobster Meat
½ cup Frozen Okra
¼ cup Scallion
1 tbsp fresh chopped Thyme
½ tbsp Allspice
Salt to taste
Fresh ground Black Pepper to taste
Hot pepper
2 Crackers per fish


Stuff all in clean prepared (well seasoned) fish with head on and  drizzle heavily with olive oil.  Wrap each fish in foil and roast in pre-heated oven at 425 degrees for 20 mins.  Another 10 on broil and enjoy!

Finished product!

It was incredible! And yes you can substitute the Okra for any other vege!