From Their Kitchen to Your Galley: The Branzino, Explained
Del Mar Fort Lauderdale’s chef shares how the branzino from our November “In the Galley” column comes together, and how to make it on board.
By Ashley Grace
A tunneled entrance leaves the Fort Lauderdale street behind, and the dining room glows from the gorgeous bar, lit trees and table lamps, and an accent wall of lit wine bottles. Everything about Del Mar is built to take you somewhere else. The restaurant is busy, but nothing feels rushed. Plates come out perfectly tempered, one after another: hummus with chilled vegetables, grilled octopus, a round of Ocean Boulevard margaritas, a filet cooked to perfection. Then the branzino arrives: a skinless fillet with lemon-caper vinaigrette, olive-oil crushed potatoes with Alfonso olives, and a simple salad alongside. The question is how a kitchen this busy makes it look so easy.
The Key to Del Mar's Branzino
The answer starts before the fish reaches the kitchen. “Always use a high-end fish vendor that you can trust,” says Mitch Brumels, Del Mar’s executive chef and operating partner, “making sure your fish is fresh and has not been previously frozen.”
How the Kitchen Preps Its Branzino Fillet
Behind the pass, the calm from the dining room holds. The kitchen is clean and orderly, with every ingredient prepped and labeled. Brumels cooks the branzino himself, while his crew moves swiftly to provide anything he may need along the way.
Each fillet is coated in an oil blend made with imported Greek extra-virgin olive oil. “Greek olive oil has a great nutty finish,” Brumels says. After a sprinkle of seasonings, it goes skin-side down onto a wood-fired grill, where it picks up a subtle smoke flavor. The skin acts as a shield, keeping the delicate meat from breaking apart or sticking to the grates. Another key is heat: the grill must be very hot, which also helps keep the fish from sticking. From there, the fillet finishes in the oven. Both steps are quick, just a few minutes each. The skin comes off before plating.
The fillet arrives at the table, tender and glossy under its sauce, with a sprinkle of capers and parsley down its center. A lemon wedge leans into frisée and radicchio, and the crushed potatoes are mixed with Alfonso olives. In the glow of the brass table lamp, it looks—and tastes—simply delicious.
How to Cook Branzino Fillets in Your Galley
You don’t need a wood-fired grill to borrow Del Mar’s approach. A grill on the stern or a galley oven will do. The grill adds the smoke, and the oven finishes the job, but either can be used on its own to get the perfect cook.
- Start with fresh fish. Buy from a fish market you trust and confirm it has not been previously frozen.
- Oil and season. Coat the fillet in olive oil or a 90-10 blend, then season with kosher salt and a little lemon zest.
- Get the grill very hot. High heat keeps the fish from sticking.
- Grill skin-side down. Do not flip. The skin holds the fillet together on the grates.
- Finish in the oven for just a few minutes.
- Remove the skin before plating, the way Del Mar does.
- Serve simply with potatoes and a simple salad. Offer the lemon-caper vinaigrette on the side.
