Sweet and tart, bright and light, one last summery dish to close out the season before we officially switch over to fall foods and festivities.

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My heart goes out to everyone so devastatingly impacted by Hurricane Ida, the wildfires, and political unrest in Afghanistan right now. We are clearly living in heavy times, and there are so many people in need, so let’s do whatever we can to help. If you are looking for a charity and how to help, here are some great places to start:

The Philadelphia Inquirer has an expansive list of resources
World Central Kitchen – Chef José Andrés, who leads an organization that provides food relief in areas hit by disaster, tweeted that a team in New Orleans would activate its three kitchen facilities in the city. He said they have supplies already on hand for more than 100,000 meals.
Mercy Chefs – Mercy Chefs has served more than 15 million meals to people affected by natural disasters or who have other needs. The group has deployed two mobile kitchens to serve hot meals in Ida’s wake.

After the storm, the sun will shine again.

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This time last year, I was COVID-safe vacationing in Maine with a small group of friends. The excursion to Spruce Head Island is a very long drive from Philadelphia, so we stopped in Boston and Portland to stretch our legs and break it up a bit. Naturally, I can’t go to a new city and not visit their farmer’s market, so to the Portland Farmer’s Market we went!

Oh, it was heaven! So vibrant with produce, flowers, cheese, meat, seafood galore. I wanted to buy everything! I had no idea what I was going to make, but among our haul, I picked up some bright little husk cherries and burstingly ripe clusters of cherry tomatoes.

Don’t you dare think for a second that we left Portland without also grabbing seafood from the local fish monger, Harbor Fish Market…..lobster, shrimp, clams, whole branzino. Couldn’t be any fresher than caught that day. Boy did we eat well that week!

Before we get to the food, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the absolutely breathtaking beauty of our rental home. Situated deep in the woods in Spruce Head Island, the home was a cute and unassuming cabin from the outside. But when you stepped inside, you were transported to another world. A world rich in family history, music, art, and the most spectacular view overlooking the Penobscot Bay. The home belongs to the family of “Philadelphia’s Renaissance Man”, Bruce Montgomery. Today, proceeds from any rentals benefit The Bruce Montgomery Foundation for the Arts to provide financial support, through Springboard Grants, to talented students and organizations pursuing excellence in the performing arts. It was the perfect getaway to nourish the soul. Please take me back!

There are no fancy photos of branzino night because we were so in the moment, relishing every step of the imperfect, spontaneous dance. We roasted the fish whole, stuffed with lemon, orange, garlic, and herbs. With the help of my sous chefs Ollie and Isa, we sweat some thinly sliced shallots until translucent, followed by garlic just until fragrant, deglazed with one of our delicious Old Westminster whites, tossed in the cherry tomatoes and husk cherries until they burst, and finished with a splash of red wine vinegar. Letting our intuition lead, we leaned into the present, watching, smelling, tasting, tweaking as each new ingredient swirled into the pan. Super simple, and you can absolutely make this, too. Just make sure to head to the farmer’s market soon to pick up the last harvests of husk cherries, as their season is coming to an end.

This summer I was asked to propose menus for several dinners, and I was craving this dish and the moment so heavily that I wanted to recreate this dish to share with others. Sadly, I didn’t write anything down after that Maine dinner, so this recipe is what I developed going off of all those same intuitions from last year.

Branzino, also known as European Sea Bass or loup de mer, is a Mediterranean fish commonly used Italian, Greek and Portuguese cuisine and is distinctive for its delicate, flaky, white flesh with mildly sweet flavor. Branzino’s lean white meat, amino acid profile, and rich source of Vitamins A, E, and D, omega 3 fatty acids, and selenium, makes it a nutritious addition to your plate. Whole branzino typically ranges from one to three pounds, perfect for two – four people.

Simplified in this recipe, the branzino fillets get a quick pan-sear for super crispy skin, but you could always fire up your grill or oven to cook a whole branzino instead. It is very easy to prepare a whole fish, though not as common in American households so. I’m happy to show you how, just reach out in the comments or email if you’d like to learn! You can also ask the fish monger to fillet the fish if the job is not for you. I picked this branzino from Anastasia Seafood in the Italian Market, but Samuels & Sons Seafood is also a great spot to purchase fresh fish in Philadelphia.

Now what are husk cherries, you ask? Also called ground cherries or gooseberries, these golden little round fruits look like tiny tomatoes encased in a papery husk. They taste like a cross between a pineapple and a tomato with a lovely little tang that perks up any dish. Check for these delightful underused fruits at your local famer’s market (in Philly, they can usually be procured at the Headhouse, Rittenhouse, and Reading Terminal markets, as well as Whole Foods). When selecting ground cherries, try to avoid getting too many green husks, as they won’t ripen very well once harvested. Most of the husks should at least be showing some signs of turning tan, and really ripe ones have papery husks. They should also be firm when you squeeze the deep yellow fruit inside. Squishy ones are no good.

Serve this over top a bed of white or brown rice, quinoa, orzo, or your favorite nutritious carb/carb substitute to soak up all of the juicy sauce. Happy cooking! If you try this recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please let me know in the comments below. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. I LOVE to see your photos!

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Branzino with Tomato Husk Cherry Sauce

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