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Branzino, Spigola
Sea Bass
Appears in
By Antonio Carluccio and Priscilla Carluccio
Published 1997
When Italians hear the words spigola or branzino their culinary hearts start to beat a little faster, for sea bass is one of the best-loved fish in Italy. It is widely available, as it can be caught off any coast where the sea is fairly rough. It can reach up to 1 metre (3 ft) in length and 10 kg (22 lb) in weight.
Its popularity can be attributed to its delicate but firm flesh, which is enormously versatile and easy to cook. Whether boiled, baked or grilled, sea bass always delivers its promise. Because it is so well liked, this fish has to be farmed to meet the demand. This means that the size and weight of the fish can be controlled for culinary use. Wild sea bass are a wonderful silver colour, whereas their cultivated cousin is darker and never quite matches up in terms of flavour.