Lavraki me Elies – Branzino with Olives

This simple dish is so flavorful – bright and briny, a little sweet, and perfectly balanced for a tasty, healthy, easy to make meal anytime!

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped 

• 3-4 teaspoons olive paste

• 3-4 teaspoons Kalamata olives, chopped

• 6 garlic gloves, smashed

• 1 medium tomato, diced

• 1⁄2 cup fresh parsley, destemmed, picked

• ¼-½ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Greek oregano, to taste

• 2 branzino filets, skin on

• 1 lemon, juiced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

2. In a medium baking pan, add the onions, olive paste, Kalamata olives, and garlic cloves, creating two ‘beds’ for each branzino filet to lay upon.

3. Add the parsley and chopped tomato, on top of the beds created in step 2, and then dress each bed with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and season with pepper and Greek oregano to taste.

4. Lay the branzino filets upon the beds from step 2, dress with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and dress with lemon juice.

5. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and garlic has softened.  

6. Dress with drizzle of olive oil, and serve.

Chef’s Note:

• To ensure the freshness of your fish, make sure the skin is shiny and metallic looking, the flesh is firm to the touch, the eyes are clear, and the fish smells like the ocean, not ‘fishy’!

• Use any fish you like (though I love Branzino)!

• Use any vegetables and herbs you like – the key is to make sure the dish is full of flavorful produce so that it balances with the protein!

• Remember that acid is your friend, so feel free to add more if you like!