Whole Roasted Branzini

Chef Chris O’Brien from Hyeholde Restaurant in Pittsburgh shares his recipe for a juicy, Whole Roasted Branzini with a fennel salad stuffing, truffle butter sauce, and roasted potatoes.

A Little Hyeholde History

“It began with a romance the day William Kryskill told his bride that someday he would build her a castle on the crest of a cornfield where they stood.” And so begins the fairy tale of Hyeholde Restaurant, a castle-turned-eatery that sits high on a hill in Coraopolis. 

The tale continues with Kryskill beginning the seven-year construction of his castle. Its design in 1931 was to be part-living quarters and part-restaurant. The next chapter sees Pat Foy at the helm. He transformed the place into a charming, sophisticated eatery. Soon after, he began constructing a new entry and laynched a nightclub in 1987.

Hyeholde Today and Its Whole Roasted Branzini

The current chapter of Hyeholde is now in the hands of Kryskill’s daughter. It infuses a menu of country French cooking with modern flair, under the eye of Chef Chris O’​Brien.

O’Brien brings dishes to his menu that have been “lost over the years,” spicing them up with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Playing off the historic, rustic charm of the place itself, he plates up the comforting, rich flavors and textures of French cuisine, what he calls “simple food done right.”

Whole Roasted Branzini

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• Author: Chef Chris O’Brien

Print Recipe

Description

The addition of a fennel salad stuffing and truffle butter sauce put this dish above the rest.

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Ingredients

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• 1 bulb fennel, shaved and chopped
• 1/2 red onion, shaved
• Olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 whole branzini (1–1 ¼ each), scaled, deboned with backbone removed

For the truffle butter sauce:

• 1 cup white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp thyme
• 1 shallot
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• ½ cup cream
• ½ lb butter
• 2–3 tbsp truffle oil
• Salt, to taste

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Instructions

For the branzini and fennel salad stuffing:

1. On a mandolin, thinly shave fennel and red onion into a mixing bowl. Chop fennel tops and mix with shaved salad.
2. Lightly coat salad with olive oil, zested lemon and juice of one lemon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. To finish, season inside of fish with salt and pepper. Stuff with shaved fennel salad.
4. Heat Teflon sauté pan with oil, place fish in pan over medium heat, two fish per pan at a time so as not to overcrowd pan.
5. Cook over medium heat for 3-6 minutes per fish side.
6. Finish in oven for 5-8 minutes at 375 degrees.
7. Remove from pan and serve with roasted potatoes and butter sauce.

For the truffle butter sauce:

1. Reduce white wine, bay leaves, thyme, chopped shallot, and lemon juice by two-thirds. Add cream and reduce until thick.
2. Mount with butter and truffle oil. Add salt to taste and more lemon if needed.
3. Strain and serve with fish.

For the roasted potatoes:

1. Blanch fingerling potatoes in boiling water until tender. Cool potatoes.
2. In sauté pan heat with oil brown the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and finish with butter and chopped parsley.

Recipe by Chef Chris O’Brien of Hyeholde Restaurant
Story Maggie Weaver
Styling Keith Recker
Photography Dave Bryce

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