Whole Roasted Branzino with Herbs

Foundations Referenced

• → Bouquet Garni
• → Sauce Vierge

Ingredients

• 2 whole branzino (sea bass), cleaned and scaled
• Salt, pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 4 sprigs thyme, 4 sprigs parsley
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup white wine
• Sauce vierge or herb oil (→ foundations)

Method

1. Score fish 3 times on each side (allows heat to penetrate evenly). Season inside and out.
2. Stuff cavities with lemon slices, herbs, and garlic.
3. Bed: Scatter fennel and tomatoes in a roasting pan. Drizzle with oil and wine.
4. Roast: Lay fish on the vegetable bed. Roast 425°F for 18–22 min until flesh is opaque and flakes at the thickest point.
5. Serve whole at the table with sauce vierge or herb oil alongside.

What You're Practicing

• Whole fish cookery — scoring for even cooking, stuffing the cavity for aromatics
• The vegetable bed serves as both a rack and a side dish
• Serving whole fish is a dramatic, elegant presentation