Branzino has become the fish of the moment, across the country. The name sounds vaguely exotic and clearly Mediterranean. The fish comes in a convenient size, around two to three pounds, so it can be served roasted whole on the bone, boned and stuffed, or in fillets.
But what exactly is a branzino? Fish nomenclature can be quite confusing--as with Alaskan black cod, or sablefish, and hamachi, or yellowtail--and branzino is no exception.
Branzino is another name for European sea bass, which may also be called loup de mer, bar or spigola. In Turkey it's known as levrek, and in Greece it is called lavraki. To further add to the confusion, loup de mer is French for wolf of the sea, and is also a name used for wolffish, a Northern Atlantic Ocean fish that bears no relation to bass or branzino. Since there are many kinds of bass, perhaps the term branzino for the European fish, which is much more appealing than anything with wolf in the name, is a felicitous choice.
The branzino that reach our markets have been farm-raised. Overfishing has made the fish nearly nonexistent in the Mediterranean, its native habitat. Today branzino cultivation flourishes, especially in Grecian waters and off Cyprus.
On the plate, branzino has mild, fairly firm white flesh. It's a much tastier fish when cooked on the bone, as it is at the Fig & Olive restaurants in New York, where it comes whole and seasoned with herbes de Provence and lemon. A cooked branzino is one of the simplest fishes to bone out, but fussy customers can always have the waiter do the filleting.
The majority of chefs look to the Mediterranean for inspiration when they prepare branzino, and it rarely shows up at the sushi bar. But at Il Grano in Los Angeles there is a branzino tartare on the list of crudo, with an anchovy condiment, chives and an herb salad.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar