Pan Seared Sea Bass Lemon (Printable)

Crispy sea bass fillets with tangy lemon caper sauce, ideal for a quick, elegant dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 sea bass fillets (5 oz each), skin on, pin-boned
02 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Lemon Caper Sauce

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
07 - 2 tablespoons capers, drained
08 - 1/4 cup dry white wine (or fish stock)
09 - Juice and zest of 1 lemon
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
11 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat sea bass fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Place fillets skin-side down, press gently with a spatula, and sear for 3 to 4 minutes until skin is crispy and golden.
03 - Flip fillets and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more until opaque and cooked through. Transfer to a warm plate and tent with foil.
04 - Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the same pan. Once melted, sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Stir in capers and cook for 1 minute. Pour in white wine or fish stock, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
06 - Add lemon juice and zest, simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce reduces slightly. Remove from heat, stir in parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Spoon lemon caper sauce over sea bass fillets and serve immediately with preferred sides.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The skin gets impossibly crispy while the flesh stays tender and buttery inside.
  • A pan sauce that tastes fancy but comes together in the same skillet, no fussing.
  • Dinner ready in 25 minutes flat, yet it feels like you've done something impressive.
02 -
  • If the fish sticks to the pan on the first flip, it's not ready—give it another minute instead of forcing it, or you'll tear the skin.
  • The sauce will taste sharp if you taste it before the lemon has simmered for a minute, so give it that time to mellow and marry together.
03 -
  • If your skillet is small, you can sear the fish in batches and keep them warm on a plate—the sauce doesn't care, and everything stays perfect.
  • A microplane zester gives you the most delicate lemon zest, and it makes a visible difference in how bright the sauce looks.

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