SAFFRON LEMON BRANZINO

Saffron Lemon Branzino image

Iranians love eating fish with rice to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian new year. It's an old tradition honored by Iranians living in other countries, too. A white fish is the classic choice; both branzino and Mediterranean sea bass (lavaraki) work well. The fish is flavored with saffron and lemon and stuffed with an onion, walnut, herb and pomegranate molasses filling. Sabzi polo (Persian herb rice) is the perfect accompaniment.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories main-dish

Time 50m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

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Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 teaspoon saffron threads, ground in a mortar and pestle
3 ice cubes
Two 1 1/2-pound whole branzino, cleaned, gutted and patted dry
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice from 2 lemons (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Sabzi polo (Persian herb rice), for serving

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F with a rack in the middle position. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.
Place the saffron and ice in a small bowl and set aside at room temperature until the ice melts. This will be your saffron water.
Using a sharp knife, cut 5 or 6 slits, 1 inch apart, through the skin and flesh of each fish on one side. Salt and pepper both sides of the fish and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1 minute more.
Add 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the parsley, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, turmeric, 1 tablespoon of the saffron water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set the onion filling aside.
Stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the remaining lemon juice and the remaining saffron water in a small bowl. Brush the insides of the fish with some of this saffron-lemon mixture, then stuff the cavities with the onion filling. Seal the cavities shut using 3 toothpicks along each open edge. Brush the top of the fish with some of the saffron and lemon mixture, then transfer the fish to the prepared sheet pan.
Bake for 10 minutes. Brush the top of the fish with some of the saffron mixture, then bake until cooked through and the flesh flakes easily, about 15 minutes more (see Cook's Note). Remove the sheet pan from the oven and turn on the broiler.
Brush the top of the fish with more of the saffron lemon mixture, then broil until the skin is golden and somewhat crispy, 3 to 5 minutes; keep a close eye to make sure the tops don't burn. Remove the toothpicks and serve with sabzi polo (see Cook's Note).