Gathre executive chef Brian Lombard made Pan Seared Branzino (European Sea Bass) with Carolina Gold Rice and Garlic Ginger Herb Pesto. Gathre is located inside Hotel Fraye at 1810 Broadway Nashville, Tennessee 37203. Gathre offers daily brunch and dinner. To see the menu or learn more visit, https://www.gathrenashville.com/.
Pan Seared Branzino w/ Carolina Gold Rice and Garlic Ginger Herb Pesto
Serves 2
2 6-8 oz filets of Branzino, skin on (Can be substituted with Trout or Black Bass)
3 cups Carolina Gold Rice (Can be substituted with Jasmine or Arborio Rice)
2 quarts vegetable stock
1 cup white wine
1 shallot, minced
1 cup English peas (can be substituted for frozen green peas)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 oz of fresh ginger, minced
4 oz fresh basil, chopped
3 oz fresh chives, chopped
5 oz butter
1 lime cut in half
5 oz olive oil
Blender
3-inch ring mold (optional)
1 oz fresh parsley or microgreens for garnish
For Carolina Gold Rice:
In a large sauté pan, heat on medium high. Add 2oz butter, minced shallot, and the rice. Sauté mixture for 2 minutes, until rice and shallots are properly roasted. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and stir into mixture. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Let the wine cook into the rice while constantly stirring, about 2 minutes. Add 1 quart of vegetable stock to the pan. Lower to medium heat. Consistently stir the rice every 30 seconds or so. Cook the stock until it is absorbed by the rice, about 6 minutes. Taste the rice for doneness and seasoning. As needed, add about a cup at a time of more vegetable stock, and stir consistently. Add more salt at a teaspoon at a time to taste. Once rice is almost fully cooked, add the English peas. Stir in to combine. Turn off the heat. Add another 2oz of butter to the rice mix. Cover the pan and let rest for 5 minutes.
For Garlic Ginger Herb Pesto:
In a blender, combine the minced garlic, ginger, fresh basil and chives, juice from 1 half of a lime, and 4oz olive oil. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of salt. Blend until fully combined and nice and green, about 1 minute. In a small sauté pan, heat to medium heat. Cook the pesto in the pan for 30 seconds, until the garlic/ginger mix is sizzling. Set aside.
For the Branzino:
Heat a nonstick sauté pan on medium high. Once hot, add a teaspoon of olive oil and 1 oz of butter to the pan. Season the fish top and bottom with salt and pepper. Carefully add fish to the hot pan, skin side up. Cook the flesh side of the fish in the pan for 2 minutes. With a spatula, carefully turn over the fish. Try to turn the fish in a direction away from your hands and body, so the oil in the pan does not splash in your direction. Sauté the fish in the skin side for another 3 minutes. With your spatula, press down on the fish while cooking, to ensure the skin is flat on the surface of the pan. Once the fish is cooked, squeeze a splash of lime juice on top of the fish.
To assemble:
If you have a ring mold, fill the mold with the rice-pea mixture, press down on the rice firmly and lift off the ring mold. If no mold, just neatly spoon the rice onto the plate. Lay the cooked Branzino next to the rice onto the plate. Spoon the garlic/ginger pesto mix on top of the fish and drizzle around the plate. Top the rice with any type of fresh herbs or microgreen garnish. Enjoy!
