Serves 4
This dish, a quintessential Mediterranean fish simply prepared with quintessential Mediterranean ingredients, is typical of the healthy diet of the region. It has converted many once non-fish-eating patrons of my restaurants. You can substitute any fish for the branzino.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the fillets
4 (1- to 1¼-pound) branzino, filleted and skin side patted dry
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 cup cauliflower florets, blanched and shocked (see here)
1 cup Roasted Cherry Tomatoes (here) with their juices
24 oil-cured olives, pitted
4 teaspoons chopped mixed fresh herbs (parsley, mint, dill)
¼ cup Ladolemono (here)
Juice of 1 lemon
Preheat a gas grill or grill pan over medium heat.
Rub olive oil all over the fillets and season the skin side with salt and pepper and the flesh side with just salt. Grill, skin side down, until the edges just begin to become opaque. Using a metal spatula, rotate each fillet 45 degrees and continue to grill on the skin side. When the fish is opaque down the middle, turn it over and grill for 1 minute on the flesh side.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the cauliflower and cook, turning occasionally, until browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, olives, and herbs and season with salt and pepper. Cook just until warmed through.
To serve, spoon the tomato mixture onto a plate and arrange a fillet, flesh side down, over it. Drizzle with ladolemono and lemon juice. Serve warm.