Pan-seared gilthead bream

Pan-seared gilthead bream is a delicious, simple, and very quick dish to prepare. Here is how you can cook gilthead bream the Italian way:

Ingredients

• 1 gilthead bream about 300-400 grams (per person), gutted and scaled
• Flour, as needed (to flour the fish)
• 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Chopped parsley, as needed
• Salt and pepper, as needed
• Juice of half a lemon (optional)
• A splash of white wine (optional)

Preparation

1. Cleaning the gilthead bream: Make sure the gilthead bream is well cleaned, with scales removed and guts gutted. Rinse it under running water to remove any residue and pat it dry with a clean cloth or kitchen paper to dry it well.
2. Flouring: Season the gilthead bream with salt and pepper inside and out, then lightly flour it. This will help prevent sticking to the pan and create a golden crust.
3. Cooking in the pan: In a large pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil and add the garlic cloves to flavor it. When the oil is hot, add the gilthead bream to the pan and let it cook over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes per side, until golden. As an optional touch, you can deglaze with a splash of white wine.
4. Finishing and serving: Once cooked, remove the garlic and drizzle the gilthead bream with lemon juice to add a touch of freshness. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Pan-seared gilthead bream is excellent when accompanied by a side of vegetables, such as sautéed spinach or roasted potatoes.

Curiosity

The gilthead bream is a fish highly prized in Mediterranean cuisine for its delicate flavor and firm, tasty flesh. In Italian tradition, it is common to prepare fish with cooking techniques that enhance its flavor without overwhelming it, and pan-searing with garlic, parsley, and lemon is a prime example of this culinary philosophy.