Name: Pan Seared Branzino with Summer Caponata, Micro Herb Salad and Grilled Lemon
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H55M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H5M0.000S
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup fresh chives; 1 cup fresh parsley, stems trimmed; 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil; 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed; 1 eggplant (about 12 ounces), small diced; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 shallot, finely chopped; 1 yellow squash (about 8 ounces), small diced; 1 zucchini (about 8 ounces), small diced; 2 cloves garlic, smashed; 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved; 2 tablespoons capers, drained; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon honey; 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped; Four 6-ounce branzino fillets, skin on; Kosher salt; Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan; 2 lemons, halved; 1/4 cup micro basil; 1/4 cup fennel fronds; 1/4 cup micro mizuna; 1/4 cup micro parsley; 1/4 cup micro red vein sorrel; Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling; Juice of 1/2 lemon; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the herb oil: Blanch the chives and parsley in boiling water for 30 seconds, then immediately submerge in a bowl of ice water until cool. Remove the herbs from the ice bath and drain, squeezing out any excess water. Add to a blender with the olive oil. Blend until smooth for 1 minute. Pass the oil through a fine meshed sieve into a squeeze bottle or a small pitcher.
For the caponata: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant and sprinkle with salt. Cook the eggplant, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. If the pan looks dry, drizzle in a little more olive oil as needed. Once the eggplant has softened and is lightly browned, remove it from the skillet and set aside.
Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, then add the shallot, yellow squash, zucchini and garlic. Sprinkle with salt. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until they begin to soften, then add the cooked eggplant back to the skillet. Add the cherry tomatoes, capers, vinegar and honey and toss to combine. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove the garlic. Adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside. Before serving, stir in the basil.
For the fish: Gently cut 3 slits across the skin side of the fish and pat dry thoroughly with a paper towel to ensure it gets crispy when cooked. Sprinkle the fish on both sides with salt and set aside while the pan is heating up (do not season the fish ahead of time).
To a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, add in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the fish skin-side down. As soon as you add the fish to the pan, press down the whole fillets with a fish spatula to ensure even contact with the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes on the skin side, then flip over and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until the fish is just gently cooked through and flaky. Remove from the pan to a sheet tray lined with a rack. Place the lemons flesh-side down in the pan and cook over medium-high heat until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Set aside until ready to serve.
For the salad: Lightly toss the basil, fennel fronds, mizuna, parsley and sorrel in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon the caponata into the center of a plate. Place the seared fish, skin-side up, over the top. Garnish with the micro green salad on top of the fish, then drizzle some of the herb oil around the plate. Serve with the grilled lemon alongside.

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Pan Seared Branzino with Summer Caponata, Micro Herb Salad and Grilled Lemon

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