Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Baked Whole Branzino


I had bought two whole branzinos from Whole Foods. The first I grilled on a pan and finished in the oven (based on a recipe not worth sharing). We found it bland and somewhat overcooked, so we hoped the second one would turn out better, so here is how we prepared it. The result was so tender and flavorful, so I just had to share it! We had sides of mashed potatoes and green salad. Yum!

Baked Whole Branzino
serves 2


1 whole branzino (about a pound)
1 lemon
lemon zest from the lemon half
1 small garlic clove, minced
2-3 T minced parsley
2-3 T dill
4-5 scallions (bottom to middle part), cut in 1 inch lengths (optional)
1 yellow onion, cut in circles
2-3 T olive oil
  1. Heat oven to 350F.
  2. Generously grease the bottom of a pan (I used 9x13 pyrex one) with about 2T olive oil.
  3. Rinse and dry the fish and season with salt and pepper all over (inside and out).
  4. Mix the lemon zest, garlic, and parsley. Spread over the inside of the fish (if you have extra you can top it over the skin).
  5. Cut 3-4 lemon slices (half lemon) and stuff them along with the dill in the inside of the fish. Add a couple of the scallions if using.
  6. Place the fish in the pan and top with scallions.
  7. Spread the onion slices over the fish and its sides (it is supposed to keep the fish from drying out).
  8. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  9. Serve with the remaining lemon half.
Note: If you like crispier skin you can broil the fish for the last 3-4 minutes. We skipped that and had the fish ready at the 22-23 minute mark.



Friday, June 19, 2015

Yeasted Buckwheat Waffles

I knew it was a while since the last time I've posted on the blog... There have been a lot of life changing events in my life. Some of you already know all about it. :)

Let me share with you another of my recent culinary discoveries - buckwheat waffles! I had purchased buckwheat flour on a whim so I can try it sometime. It is unusual since it is not really related to wheat. Given that I love the basic recipe for yeasted whole wheat waffles that came with my waffle maker booklet, I looked into having similar waffles with buckwheat. I can tell you the result is even lighter and crispier! Here is a link to the recipe I followed from Epicurious: Yeasted Buckwheat Waffles. The only change I made was to use homemade yogurt instead of the milk. Enjoy with maple syrup or honey! And don't be afraid to try something new. :)