Riba sa Slaninom

Riba sa Slaninom (Croatian Fish Wrapped in Bacon)

A rustic Croatian coastal dish where firm white fish fillets are wrapped in smoky bacon and pan-seared until golden, then finished in a simple wine and garlic pan sauce. It is traditionally served with blitva (Swiss chard and potato) or simply with boiled potatoes and a wedge of lemon.

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

40 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (1 lb 5 oz) firm white fish fillets (brancin, orada, or sea bass), skin on or off; traditionally whole small fish like brancin or orada, but fillets work well at home
• •150 g (5½ oz) smoked bacon, thinly sliced, traditional Croatian panceta or domaća slanina
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil, or use the rendered bacon fat
• •3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• •120 ml (½ cup) dry white wine, Croatian Pošip or any crisp dry white
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
• •5 g (1 tsp) fresh parsley, finely chopped
• •1 g (¼ tsp) salt, go light; bacon is salty
• •0.5 g (¼ tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
• •1 piece lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Pat the fish fillets very dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cut into individual portion-sized pieces if using large fillets.
2. 2 Wrap each piece of fish with a slice of bacon, slightly overlapping, and secure with a toothpick or kitchen twine so the bacon stays snug as it renders.
3. 3 Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat until shimmering, about 180°C.
4. 4 Place the bacon-wrapped fish in the pan, seam-side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes until the bacon is deep golden and crisp. Turn carefully and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes.
5. 5 Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the fish: cook until the internal temperature reaches 60°C (140°F) and the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. Transfer to a warm plate and tent with foil.
6. 6 Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Add the sliced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds over medium heat until fragrant but not browned.
7. 7 Pour in the white wine and lemon juice, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until reduced by about half.
8. 8 Return the fish to the pan, spoon the sauce over, and warm through for 1 minute. Sprinkle with parsley.
9. 9 Serve immediately with lemon wedges and, in the Croatian tradition, alongside blitva (sautéed Swiss chard with potato) or simply boiled potatoes dressed with olive oil.