Whole Grilled Branzino With Lemongrass and Lemon

Welcome! You’re At Isabelle’s—home to all things tasteful and tasty.

Until a few weeks ago, the idea of grilling a whole fish felt very intimidating to me. It’s the kind of main that just feels special and makes you look like you really know what you are doing, but it is actually easy to prepare, quick to cook and surprisingly forgiving.

The most important part is starting with good fish. I bought these branzino from a local fishmonger. Look for clear eyes, firm flesh and a clean, fresh smell, with nothing noticeably fishy. Branzino are typically around 1 pound each. Depending on what else is on the table, how much your guests love fish and whether everyone is comfortable sharing, you can serve one fish per person or one between two.

This recipe calls for stuffing the fish with fennel fronds, the wispy green leaves at the ends of fennel stalks. They add a lovely flavour, and I am always looking for ways to use up fennel fronds. That said, it is not worth buying an entire bulb of fennel just to use a few fronds. They make sense if you are also serving something with fennel, like a shaved fennel salad, or plan to use the bulb in another meal that week. Otherwise, you can leave them out.