Coastal Mains
Sea Bass with Pickled Pantry Sauce
The Strategy:
Searing tender sea bass and topping it with a rich, savory pan sauce of sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, hearts of palm, and pickled jalapenos creates an explosion of Mediterranean flavors. Dusting the fish lightly with flour before cooking helps lock in its moisture, yielding a beautifully golden crust and a flaky, juicy center. It is an elegant, restaurant-quality seafood dish that is surprisingly quick and simple to make at home.
Ingredients
- 4 (6-ounce) sea bass fillets, about 1 ½-inch thick
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
- ½ cup, pitted, sliced Kalamata olives
- ½ cup sliced hearts of palm, about half of a 15-ounce can
- 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeno peppers
- ½ cup dry white wine
- Juice of 1 medium lemon, about 3 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Season the sea bass with salt and pepper.
- Dust both sides with flour. You can do this by sifting the flour over the fish using a small colander, or by placing the flour into a resealable plastic bag, adding the fish and shaking to coat.
- Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place the fillets into the skillet and cook until golden on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Flip and cook on the second side for 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Transfer to a platter and tent with aluminum foil.
- Place the onion and garlic into the skillet and cook until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes (including up to 2 tablespoons of the oil from the jar) to the skillet.
- Stir in the olives, hearts of palm, and jalapeno peppers.
- Pour in the wine and cook until most of the liquid disappears.
- Stir in the lemon juice.
- Reduce the heat to low. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
- Place the fish back into the skillet.
- Spoon the sauce over the fillets.
- Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top.
Cook’s Tip
Cooking fish is really not hard to do once you figure it out. Here’s the way I do the math: ba sically, fish cooks for about 8 minutes per 1-inch of thickness. And, more importantly, the fish will continue cooking after you remove it from the heat. Here’s an example: for a 1 ½-inch- thick fish fillet you want to cook it for a total of less than 10 minutes. Even less, if you plan to finish the fish in a sauce. Undercooking is the way to go when you prepare any type of fish, which really makes it the home cook’s fast food.
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The Heart of the Table
The bright colors of sun-dried tomatoes and fresh cilantro over the golden sea bass create a stunning, vibrant presentation that elevates the dinner table. As the warm, savory steam of white wine, lemon, and garlic fills the room, it brings a sense of coastal elegance and culinary adventure. This dish invites everyone to enjoy a fresh, sophisticated meal that makes any night feel like a holiday.
- a large, hand-thrown ceramic serving platter with an organic rim
- a well-seasoned 12-inch cast-iron skillet with dual pour spouts
- a 7-quart enameled cast-iron Dutch oven with dual helper handles
- a set of minimalist, mouth-blown crystal coupe glasses with slender stems
- a professional Hawthorne strainer with a tight-coil spring
- a heavy-gauge tri-ply stainless steel shallow sauté pan
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Plate the sea bass fillets on individual wide pasta bowls, spooning the colorful pickled pantry sauce generously over the top and garnishing with fresh cilantro leaves.
- THE POUR: A crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc or a high-acid Pinot Grigio to cut through the rich butter sauce and highlight the briny olives.
- THE VIBE: Coastal Dining Room: The soft sound of music and a gentle breeze create a light, elegant atmosphere that feels fresh and relaxing.
