Chilean Sea Bass Recipe
Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass With Lemon Butter Herb Sauce- This melt-in-your-mouth, juicy, & flavorful pan-seared Chilean Sea Bass recipe is delicately covered in a lemon butter sauce and seared to perfection. A delicious restaurant-worthy meal in under 20 minutes.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 Chilean Sea Bass filets 4–6 oz each
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter or ghee divided
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup good quality white wine
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme roughly chopped
Instructions
- Let the sea bass reach room temperature before cooking (take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes prior). Pat the sea bass dry with paper towels— sprinkle both sides with sea salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted, place the fish fillets skin side down (if using with skin) in the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, flip the fish and cook on the other side. Depending on the thickness of the fish, another 5 minutes, or until the fish is flaky and fork tender. When cooked, transfer to a serving platter and loosely cover with foil.
- Turn down the heat to low. Add the white wine to the skillet to deglaze, stirring any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue heating for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add one more tablespoon of butter to the pan. Once it’s melted, add the minced garlic and fresh herbs and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Turn off the heat and add the remainder of the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and stir to combine until a smooth sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve sauce on top of the fish. Garnish with extra herbs and lemon slices if desired.
Notes
Top Tips
- Buy good quality sea bass. Since this is the dish's highlight, ensure it is good quality for the best results.
- Pat fish dry with paper towels to avoid moisture while cooking. We want to sear the sea bass and not steam it!
- Let the fish set out to almost room temperature before searing. This will ensure even cooking and prevent the interior from being undercooked while the outside sears. Sear the fish at a high temperature.
- Make sure your pan is hot. Putting fish into a cold pan won’t develop a crispy sear and will not have the texture you want.
- Don’t overcook the delicate sea bass, or it will be tough. We want a nice flaky fish.
Nutrition
Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 1020mg | Potassium: 352mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 471IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
