Baked Branzini in Guajillo Adobo
Preparation Time 25 minutes
Cooking Time 20 minutes
Serves 2
This recipe is from Enrique Olvera’s cookbook - Tu Casa Mi Casa. However, I did add some lemon and salt to my adobo, to marinate my fish!
Ingredients
Branzini, butterflied 1 lb
Guajillo Adobo for Marinade
Guajillo Chiles, seeded 4 to 6
Cloves 2
Allspice Berries 1 to 2
Dried Marjoram 1/2 tbsp
Dried Mexican Oregano 1 tbsp
White Onion 1, roughly chopped
Plum Tomatoes 2
Garlic Cloves 2
Lemon Juice 2 to 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Grape Seed Oil or Vegetable Oil 3 tbsp
Raw Salsa Verde (makes about 2 cups)
Large Tomatillos, husked, washed and quartered 5
White Onion 1/4
Serrano Chiles 2
Garlic Clove 1
Chopped Fresh Cilantro 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Accompaniments for the fish
Roasted Baby Beets 4 to 5
Roasted Potatoes
Roasted Cauliflower
Salsa Verde
Lemon Wedges
Method
In a frying pan over high heat, toast the chiles, spices and herbs, stirring until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside. Place the onions, tomatoes and garlic on the pan and cook until charred on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan. In a medium pot, heat oil over high heat. Add the toasted and charred ingredients and cook until the tomatoes get mushy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add enough water to barely cover the ingredients and simmer until the liquid evaporates almost completely, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Add some freshly squeezed lemon juice and salt to the adobo sauce. Adjust salt to taste.
To marinate the fish, open up the fish and spread the adobo sauce evenly all over the inside of the fish with a thin coating. Marinate the fish in the refrigerator for about 1 to 2 hours. Store the leftover adobo sauce in a jar. Sauce can keep in the fridge for about ten days. Freeze the sauce if you are unable to use within ten days.
In the meanwhile, make the Salsa Verde. In a blender, roughly blend all the ingredients. Adjust salt to taste.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the fish skin side down on a baking sheet lined with some parchment paper. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve the fish with salsa verde and accompaniments of your choice like roasted beets, roasted potato chips and roasted cauliflower.
Notes
Roasted Beets - Wash and pat dry the beets. Coat the beets with some oil. In a preheated oven at 350F, roast the beets for about 40 to 50 minutes, until soft (knife inserted without resistance) and slightly charred. Let sit for 10 minutes or so. The skin will peel off easily. Cut the beet into quarters; add some salt and lemon juice. Garnish with some chopped cilantro.
Roasted Potato Chips - Thinly slice potato (preferably Russet Potato) either using a mandoline or knife. Coat the potato slices with some oil and bake them in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until crispy and slightly golden brown. Sprinkle some salt before serving.
Roasted Cauliflower - Toss the florets in some guajillo adobo and oil. Bake the florets in a preheated oven at 350F, for about 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Sprinkle some salt before serving.