Branzini

Branzini, a.k.a. Branzino, a.k.a. Loup de Mer ("Sea wolf"), is a just a plain old Mediterranean sea bass. They are usually about a pound whole, so they're perfect for a dinner for two. Have your fishmonger gut and scale your loup for you, and you'll be able to cook it up in 15 minutes flat.

Open the fish and insert flavor. Start with salt and pepper and a bit of olive oil. We just happened to have lemon and dill on hand, so we went with it. Pretty much any fresh herb that you enjoy will work with this mild-flavored white fish, and lime can be swapped for lemon if you decide to go with a Latin or Asian-style seasoning. Preserved lemons are nice for some extra kick, and well worth keeping around for such purposes.

Rub the outside of the fish with some olive oil and salt, and tie it up with kitchen twine to hold everything together. Turn on your broiler and cook about five minutes on each side.

When the flesh is flaky, it's done. Plate it up with some extra lemon bits and serve. Admire its tiny, yet menacing, jaws. Eat. Yum.