Although the title seems a bit intimidating, this recipe is easy and simple! I promise this pan-seared sea bass recipe tastes like your favorite restaurant version. With this lemon garlic butter and herbs infused into the dish, youâll eat the entire pan!
Over the last couple of months, Iâve gotten good at perfecting my sea bass recipes. Iâve learned that the best way to prepare this recipe is in a skillet. The skillet gives the skin a nice crispy skin while keeping the inside moist and flaky.
What is Chilean Sea Bass?
âChileanâ is a marketing name for the fish species Patagonian toothfish. Therefore, it is not exclusively from Chile as the name was derived from the 1970s to make the sea bass more appealing.
Sea bass are found in the Southern Hemisphere – Chile, Argentina, and sub-Antarctic islands. The flavor profile of sea bass is both flaky and buttery with a tender texture.
Sea bass is usually featured in fine dining establishments and often paired with a plethora of sauces. Because of this, it is a popular menu item for upscale dishes. You can find sea bass at your local grocery store, local fish market, or farmer’s market.
Why youâll love this Pan- seared chilean sea bass recipe:
- Delicate flavor – buttery and flaky
- Can be used in various cooking methods- grilling, roasting, or pan-searing.
- Associated with fine dining, therefore youâll feel like you’re in an upscale restaurant at home.
- Absorbs flavors well, specifically citrus and herb flavors.
- Perfect for at home date night or intimate special occasions.
Similar fishes or alternatives to Seabass
If you’ve never had sea bass, the taste and texture are to similar to the following:
- Monk
- Cod
- Halibut
Ingredient Overview:
Sea bass
Butter – adds richness while enhancing the moisture and flavor of the sea bass.
Kosher Salt & Pepper
Garlic Cloves – adds a robust flavor to the overall sea bass dish. When paired with the butter, it becomes a sweet and comforting flavor.
Lemon – adds acidity and brightness while adding richness to the butter.
Fresh Parsley – adds a clean flavor that balances the richness of the butter, lemon, and seabags.
Cooking Tips/Tricks
To ensure the best cooking results, ensure sea bass is dry. To do this, pat the fish down to remove excess moisture. Adding salt to the sea bass and allowing it to sit for a few minutes as this brings out the moisture.
For the best sear, bring the fresh sea bass to cool/room temperature. This creates even cooking compared to when it’s cold. Cooking the fish while its cold will cause the fish to cook too quickly and the inside can remain uncooked.
Common questions
What to serve with sea bass?
Roasted Vegetables – Vegetables like potatoes, asparagus, or brussel sprouts pair well with the delicate fish.
Rice– Wild rice from Whole Foods 365 brand is great as it is cooked with herbs or vegetable brown rice.
How do I store the leftovers to maintain freshness?
Place the left over pan-seared sea bass in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Additional Cooking Tips
1. If using sea bass with skin, you want to place fish skin side up first before cooking the skinless side.
2. When cooking in the oven, there is no need to flip the fish again. You will need to only do this process once while on the stove-top.
3. Because of the thickness of the fish, you can cut into smaller fish pieces before seasoning or cooking.
Brief step by step process for Pan-Seared Sea Bass:
- Remove the seabass from the refrigerator and place onto the seasoning or cutting board to bring up to room temperature.
- Turn on your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pat to dry the sea bass with a paper towel.
- Season the fresh fish with kosher salt on both sides of the fish filets so the salt can bring out the moisture. Pat down with a paper towel again.
- Season with black pepper and herbs de Provence. Set aside.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium high heat. Make sure olive oil evenly coats the entire large skillet.
- Add butter, thyme, herbs de prevence, and slices of lemon in the pan.
- Once the cast iron pan is heated, cook fish on each side for 3-4 minutes. Don’t forget to bast the fish with the lemon butter sauce while cooking once the butter melts.
- Place the flaky fish into the oven for 2-3 minutes to ensure you get the flaky fish texture you want.
- You should now have a golden brown skin on the outer most layer.
- Remove the fish onto a plate and drizzle more lemon butter sauce to increase the rich flavor!
Love this recipe? Take a look at my other recent seafood recipes: Cedar Planked Salmon or Spicy crab Salad
For specific and detailed instructions, review recipe card below.
Pan-seared sea bass
Perfect pan-seared sea bass recipe that is quick and easy!
Ingredients
- 14 oz sea bass
- 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Remove the seabass from the refrigerator and place onto the seasoning or cutting board to bring up to room temperature. This should take about 25-30 minutes if the fish is already thawed.
- Turn on your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Using a paper towel, pat to dry the sea bass.
- If you want, cut the chilean sea bass fillets into smaller pieces before seasoning.
- Season the fish with kosher salt on both sides of the fish filets and set aside for 3-5 minutes.
- If you have not done so already cut your lemon and obtain garlic cloves so that they are nearby.
- Pat the fish down with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Season with black pepper and herbs de Provence. Set aside.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high heat. Make sure olive oil evenly coats the entire large skillet.
- Add butter, thyme, herbs de prevence, and slices of lemon in the pan.
- Once the cast iron pan is heated, place the fish fillets in the hot pan to begin the searing process.
- Cook fish on each side for 3-4 minutes. Don't forget to bast the fish with the lemon butter sauce while cooking once the butter melts.
- Place the flaky fish into the oven for 2-3 minutes to ensure you get the flaky fish texture you want.
- You should now have a golden brown skin on the outer most layer.
- Remove the fish onto a plate and drizzle more lemon butter sauce to increase the rich flavor!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 281Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 1376mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 32g
This is an estimate and may not be 100% accurate.