We had some very ambitious plans this week – Fonda San Miguel’s Enchiladas Suizas de Queso on Sunday and  Food & Wine’s Rigatoni with Lemony Kale-and-Pecorino Pesto – but they all fell apart when we needed to get some emergency repairs done on our apartment on Sunday and Monday. So, while Tony did make the pesto on Sunday, we ordered in dinner both Sunday and Monday night. By the time Tuesday rolled around, the repairs were done and we were ready to cook Yellow Table’s Whole-Roasted Branzino Grilled with Brussels Sprouts & Fingerlings as planned. Tony tells how it went:

This recipe was about as simple as could be. I cut the stems off the Brussels sprouts, sliced them in half, and placed them on a foil-lined pan. I wasn’t able to find fingerling potatoes, so I bought some small Russet potatoes, cut them in half, and then sliced each half into three wedges. I added the potatoes to the same pan as the sprouts, drizzled on some olive oil, sprinkled on plenty of salt and pepper, and tossed everything together. The sprouts and potato then went into a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes as I prepped the fish.

I patted the fish dry inside and out with paper towels and then sprinkled the cavity with salt and pepper. I purchased butterflied fish (as result, I didn’t actually have to debone the fish like I thought I would), so I was able to spread the fish flat and lay the herbs – thyme, rosemary, and marjoram – inside. I laid the lemon slices on top of the herbs and then closed the fish up. My thinking was to keep the herbs close to the flesh of the fish so that the flavors would permeate the meat. I placed the fish on another foil lined pan and put it into the oven for 25 minutes. Then it was time to eat.

Serving was easy – I just opened the fish, took out the herbs and lemons, and split the fish in half along the back. I plated each piece, leaving the skin on, with the potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

I was worried the fish would be a little overcooked, but it was moist and flaky. The fish really did pick up the flavors of the herbs as well as the lemon, which was a nice combination The Brussels sprouts were cooked perfectly: tender on the inside and a little crunchy on the outside. The potatoes were delicious too, as they crisped up nicely on the outside but were soft and creamy on the inside. The wine we chose (or that Wines by the Flask chose for us), a 2013 Campuget Viognier, was a perfect a pairing. This was a very easy dish that made for a wonderful dinner, which was even more delicious since it was the first dinner we were able to make this week.