Grilled Branzino with Preserved Lemon Gremolata
A whole branzino grilled to crispy-skinned perfection over high heat and finished with a bright preserved-lemon and parsley gremolata.
⏱️ Prep: 15 min🍳 Cook: 10 min
Ingredients
| 1 | whole branzino (1.25–2 lb / 0.6–1 kg), cleaned, gutted and descaled | |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | olive oil |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | sea salt |
| ½ tsp | 2.5 ml | pepper |
| 1 | lemon | |
| 1 handful | fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage or parsley) | |
| 1 bunch | flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 1 cup) | |
| ¼ cup | 60 ml | preserved lemons (rind and flesh), chopped |
| 2 cloves | garlic cloves, finely chopped | |
| ½ cup | 120 ml | olive oil |
| — | cracked pepper | |
| — | chili flakes (optional) |
Instructions
- When you buy the whole fish, make sure it is gutted and descaled.
- Rinse it off inside and out and pat it extra dry.
- Brush liberally with oil.
- Season generously with salt and pepper, inside and out.
- Slice some lemon and place it inside the cavity of the fish; tuck in some fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage or parsley).
- Using a sharp knife, cut 2–3 slits into each side of the fish at the thicker end. The tail end cooks faster than the head end, so this helps it cook evenly on the grill.
- Heat the grill to medium-high, 400°F (about 200°C) — or medium if the fish is over 2 pounds — and oil the grates. If possible, lower the heat on one side.
- Place the fish on the hot, greased grill with the tail end on the cooler side. Grill, covered and without moving it, about 5 minutes for a 1½–2 pound fish, or until you see grill marks.
- Use a thin metal spatula and tongs to carefully flip. Cover and grill until crisp with visible grill marks and the eyes cloud over, another 4–5 minutes.
- While the fish grills, make the gremolata: place all the gremolata ingredients in a bowl and stir.
- Place the fish on a platter and, right before serving, spoon the gremolata over the top. Do eat the delicious crispy skin!
- Enjoy with quinoa and a leafy green salad.
Notes: Feel free to substitute another whole fish of roughly the same weight — trout, snapper, a small sockeye salmon or steelhead. Adjust the grilling time for a bigger or smaller fish; the goal is crispy skin, char and grill marks without overcooking the flesh. A wood or coal fire elevates this dish. If you don't have preserved lemons, substitute the zest of one lemon plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon salt.