Brad’s whole roasted branzino with sauce vierge

Ingredients

• 1 shallot, cut in half and slice thinly
• 3 green onions, chopped. Both white and green parts
• 10 oz multi colored cherry tomatoes. Cut in half
• 1/4 cup green or kalamata olives
• 1 tbs capers, drained
• 1/2 oz package of basil. Discard stems and chop
• 1 oz pine nuts
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 2 tbs crumbled feta or goat cheese
• 1 1/2 lb whole fresh Branzino
• 1 pinch salt and pepper
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tangerine

Steps

1. I prefer to make the sauce vierge about an hour ahead of time and let it sit covered on the counter. I prefer it at room temperature when serving, and it gives it time for the flavors to combine.
2. Heat a small frying pan on medium low heat. Add pine nuts to dry heated pan. Stir often to toast them. You will start to smell a nutty smell from them when they are almost done. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix the rest of the sauce vierge ingredients except the lemon and cheese. Stir in the pine nuts. Zest the entire lemon into the sauce then juice it. Discard seeds and add juice to the sauce. Cover and set aside until time to plate.
4. Prepare the fish. If you are buying your fish at a market, sometimes the fishmonger will gut and scale the fish for you. If not, gut and scale fish. Rinse well. Pat dry on both sides with a paper towel. With a knife, make shallow cuts in the skin of the fish to score the skin and keep it from curling in the oven. About an inch apart at an angle. In the body cavity, sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and stuff with fresh herbs.
5. Pour 1 tbs olive oil on a metal baking sheet, brush out evenly. With remaining tbs oil, brush one side of the fish, sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper then lay that side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with oil salt and pepper on the other side. Now you are ready to bake the fish.
6. Here is where you can go 2 different ways. Heat oven with rack set at the highest setting. If you want a softer skin that is easy to peel off, bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. If you want a crisper skin to eat, bake at 425 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes. When done, remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Discard herbs.
7. Plate about 3/4 of the sauce vierge. Top with feta or goat crumbles. Lay fish over top. Spoon more sauce vierge on top. Make sure to get some of that lemony oil over top. Zest the orange over the fish and sprinkle a touch of orange juice. Serve immediately. enjoy.