Pan-Fried Branzino

Branzino, or European sea bass, is sweet, meaty and full of flavor.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Transfer fish to a cutting board and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. With a sharp knife, make slashes crosswise on a diagonal along the body of the fish every 2" on both sides.
Cutting those slits in the fish is key. They help the fish cook more quickly and make it easier to tell when it's done.

When the oil is hot grip the fish firmly by the tail and carefully lower, head first, into skillet, making sure to lay it down away from you. (If the tail sticks out of the pan a bit, it’s not a huge deal.) Fry until flesh on bottom side is cooked through and skin is deeply browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. While the fish is frying, use a metal spoon to baste the inside of the fish’s head with a bit of hot oil periodically. Use tongs and a fish spatula to carefully turn fish over. Fry until flesh on second side is cooked through and skin is deeply browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and season both sides with more salt.

#CookingWithAlus #PanFriedBranzino