Dalmatian Grilled Branzino

On the Dalmatian coast, they grill whole fish over wood and serve it with olive oil and lemon. That's the whole recipe. The fish is so fresh it doesn't need anything else. I've spent a lot of time trying to recreate that feeling in my Chicago backyard, and I've gotten close.

The secret isn't technique. It's heat management and restraint. Get the fish from a good fishmonger (I use Dirk's Fish in Ravenswood), score the skin, stuff the cavity with herbs and lemon, and let the fire do the work. The side is blitva, which is Swiss chard braised with potatoes in olive oil. It's the classic Dalmatian accompaniment and it belongs here.

Ingredients

The Fish

• 2 whole branzino (about 1.5 lbs each), cleaned and scaled
• Good olive oil
• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• Flaky salt and black pepper

Blitva (Swiss Chard & Potatoes)

• 1 large bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves torn
• 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• Salt

To Finish

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon wedges
• Fresh parsley

The Cook

Start the Blitva

Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. In the last 3 minutes, add the torn chard leaves to the same pot. Drain everything. In a pan, warm the olive oil with sliced garlic over low heat until the garlic is fragrant but not brown. Toss in the potatoes and chard. Smash the potatoes lightly with the back of a fork so they break apart and absorb the oil. Season with salt. Keep warm.

Prep the Fish

Score the branzino 3 times on each side, cutting through the skin and about 1/4 inch into the flesh. Season the cavity and the outside generously with salt and pepper. Stuff each cavity with lemon slices, rosemary, thyme, and smashed garlic. Rub the outside with olive oil.

Build the Fire

Fish needs heat, not flames. Burn your wood down to a steady bed of coals with no active fire. You want medium-high, even radiant heat. No flare-ups, no smoke rolling off the grate. Clean heat. Start the fire well before you need it and let it settle.

If you're using a gas grill or charcoal, get it to medium-high. The key is clean, steady heat. But wood coals give you a subtle smoke flavor that works perfectly with branzino.

Clean the grates thoroughly and oil them well. Fish sticks to dirty, dry grates. If you have a fish basket, use it. If not, make sure those grates are oiled.

Grill

Place the fish on the grill and don't touch it for 5-6 minutes. The skin needs time to release naturally. If it's sticking, it's not ready to flip. When the skin lifts cleanly and has good char marks, flip carefully.

Cook the other side for another 4-5 minutes. The fish is done when the flesh near the backbone is opaque and flakes easily. You can check by pulling the dorsal fin. If it comes out clean, the fish is done.

Plate

Lay the blitva on a platter. Set the whole fish on top. Drizzle with your best olive oil. Squeeze lemon over everything. Scatter fresh parsley. Bring the whole platter to the table and let people serve themselves. This is family food. It looks beautiful whole.