Pan Roasted Sea Bass Recipe
Pan Roasting Is Where It’s At
Professional chefs use this cooking technique all the time but how many of you have heard of it or pan roast at home?
Before you start this recipe, I recommend you read my article on pan roasting to pick up some tips on how to pan roast properly. It provides you with some great tips and suggestions to help understand how pan roasting works and why it is a popular cooking method with professional chefs.
This post also talks about the importance of being careful whenever you heat up oils and other fats or add fats to a preheated pan. You can see how I determine pan temperature before adding a fat in my post How Much Heat To Use When Sauteing.
Chilean Sea Bass
Currently there is a lot of controversy about Chilean Sea Bass, also called the Patagonian tooth fish and you can read more about this controversy below. This recipe calls for sea bass and there are many varieties of sea bass including black sea bass, giant sea bass, Japanese sea bass, European sea bass and I’m sure there are more.
I suppose if you want to confuse the issue even more, we could talk about striped bass but that’s another species and a topic for another time.
Ignoring the controversy, I am a big fan of Chilean sea bass but because of the very high cost, I don’t buy it very often. I am amazed at how such an ugly fish can taste so good. Instead I often opt for black sea bass or stripe bass, both coming out of the Atlantic ocean.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 large onion
1/4 cup Marsala wine
8 oz. fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup of chicken stock
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 fillets of sea bass (approximately 1 lb.)
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
How To Prepare At Home
If you can, I highly recommend getting all the ingredients prepped before you start - Mise en Place. This way you're not scrambling around chopping something while the rest of the meal is overcooking.
Start out by finely chopping the onion and slicing the mushrooms. Besides having all the other ingredients available, chop up the parsley.
Then
(1) preheat your oven to 450°F. I made the mistake of waiting until I needed the oven and it took a lot longer than expected to reach the right temperature.
(2) Heat the olive oil in your pan over medium high heat and sauté the chopped onion until it's translucent.
(3) Deglaze the pan with Marsala wine. Be careful to remove the pan from the stove when doing this to prevent the wine from igniting in your face. You can use white wine if you don't have any Marsala wine. It will give the dish a slightly different taste, but you may like it better.
(4) When most of the wine is cooked off, add the mushrooms and butter. This recipe would have a lot more flavor if you were to use wild mushrooms, but at the time, all I had were plain old boring white mushrooms and it still came out great with lots of flavor.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the mushrooms are tender. How do you know when they are tender?
Taste one! That's part of the enjoyment of cooking, you get to taste as you go along. It's also a great way to learn what works and what doesn't. If you just follow a recipe without ever tasting, you'll never learn the effects ingredients have on a dish.
This is especially true with salt. I've made soups that tasted OK but after adding a little salt, it had a wonderful new flavor. So make sure you taste as you go along.
(5) At this point add the chicken stock, a little salt and pepper, and let the sauce cook down until it thickens a little. Rule of thumb: when the sauce can coat a spoon, it is the correct thickness. This is something you need to play around with until you learn to get it to the thickness you like.
(6) In an oven proof sauté (fry) pan, heat the canola oil until hot, but not so hot that it's about to smoke. Be careful every time you cook with hot oil or any fat you heat up. Be prepared for flame ups by having a pan cover handy and always have an chemical fire extinguisher in your kitchen to put out fires if necessary.
(7) Season the fillets with salt and pepper and add to the hot pan. Now here is where I had a small problem. My fillets didn't have skin on them so I had to adjust my cooking times to compensate.
Otherwise, I would have started cooking them skin side down for approximately 5 minutes until the skin was nice and crispy. Then I would have flipped them over for 30 seconds, transferred them into a 450° oven and roasted them for about 3-4 minutes.
(8) But since my fillets were skinless, cook them on one side for about 5 to 6 minutes and flip them over for another 2 minutes before transferring to the oven for 3 to 4 minutes.
My results? Plump, moist, and tender, but you may want to experiment with these times because there are so many variables that can go into any recipe.
Type of pan, thickness of fish, stove's btu's, oven temperature, pan temperature, type of oil. All of these factors go into cooking times and cannot be accounted for in a recipe. Using your senses and experience are vital for any recipe to work.
(9) On warm plates ( I usually heat them in the microwave for about 2 minutes), dish out the onion-mushroom mixture and top with the pan roasted fillets. Sprinkle a little of the chopped parsley and serve.
I served this meal with wild rice, green beans, and a wonderful Italian Orvieto white wine. The sea bass combined with the onion-mushroom mixture worked out better than I expected. And my wife loved it.
Enjoy!
I'm a work-at-home dad who enjoys cooking, learning everything I can about the culinary world and sharing it with you. To learn more about me...
My husband and I made this for dinner this p.m…fantastico!! We will be saving this in our favorite recipes’ file.The pan roasting article was very informative. Thank you.
Excellent recipe and perfectly detailed instructions. The fish turned out beautiful.
Definitely a keeper recipe. Thank you!
What are your thoughts on some acid for the fish?
Pretty good and I liked the pan roasting but the skin immediate seared to the pan and that was the end of it. Tips?
Hey Bobbo, big problem with many home cooks. Check out my post on Preventing fish from sticking at https://www.reluctantgourmet.com/how-to-prevent-fish-from-sticking-to-the-pan/
It was delicious definitely a keeper. I wouldn’t change anything in the recipe. I did use white wine, skin on sea bass and it was so tender.
I had shiitakes, so used them,, plus young Vidalia onions, so I used them. Wonderful fish and veggies.
I tried the recipe yesterday. I followed the recipe exactly. I was a little unclear on adding the mushrooms to the sauteed onions, but I did anyway. The result was EXCELLENT! The meal was restaurant quality Sea Bass! My husband was impressed.
With the exception of the snaffu, the directions were clear, easily understandable and easy to follow. Thank you Reluctant Gourmet, you have a new follower for life!
Thanks Sharon
Just made this minus the mushrooms and added a bit more chicken broth… AMAZING!!! Cooked it with out Skin and followed the directions..
love love love!!
Made this tonight for our first time having sea bass. The fish was cooked to perfection and a nice touch with the mushrooms which I would not pair with fish normally. I chose to pair with a moscato, asparagus and fried green tomatoes.
Well, I must say, this was pure restaurant quality! We love sea bass but I have never cooked at home and just a little apprehensive due to its high price. But the step by step instructions convinced me o try. Very delicious! Plated ld rice pilaf bed, opped with the mushroom reduction, topped with the fish, fresh asparagus and Santa Margharita Pinot Grigio. Perfection! Thank for the recipe. Will do again.
Our fisherman neighbor gave us some sea bass filets, a fish which we’d never had before. Went online and found this recipe. DElicious! Had it with a rice medley, asparagus and cauliflower . . . and a Chilean sauvignon blanc. This recipe is a little labor-intensive before serving, but well worth it. I’ll be using this recipe far into the future! Enjoy. . . .
Just finished dinner and it was phenomenal!
Thanks for info I’m a chef in Sonoma co and didthis for spec …turned out great
You are very welcome Chef Shopes
Tried this tonight. I was a little nervous, but our local market had Chilean Sea Bass on sale for $20.00/lb. Turned out amazing! Thank you for the thorough step by step directions.
You are very welcome Laura. Thanks for letting me know and Happy New Year.
I have made this about 4 times, last night (V day) I made this and double it, had some guest over. It is always my go to every time we have special occasions and fork out big money on sea bass, every time I make it, it taste better. Thanks for the step by step….it comes out perfectly every time….thank you thank you!!
last night we had 4 big cuts skin on, I used a ceramic cast iron skillet and waited until the oil was really hot (on the stove), seared the skin to a crisp (just like the directions said) flipped it over and finished it off in the oven at 450 cooks up perfect every single time!! so good
Looking up a good recipe for the expensive treat of the sea bass I bought today at Fresh Market. Somehow the Marsala wine doesn’t sound right…will either try white or perhaps my new favorite deglazing/flavor enhancer…dry sake. Any comments on how you think it will do?
I have always hated fish but decided to try eating more (ok any) to help me lose weight and get healthier. For no specific reason I chose to buy one chilean sea bass filet from Fresh Market. Then I looked for a recipe on the internet and landed here. I was nervous as I had spent a small fortune, had no experience cooking fish and had a mental block about fish that made me think that at best I would tolerate the meal. I followed the very clear instructions as exactly as possible considering I only had one piece of fish and using the white wine since I don’t like marsala. OMG the whole dish was absolutely fabulous. If it was affordable I would eat it every single day. Thank you for making one person convert to eating fish and actually enjoying it instead of merely tolerating.
Lovely!
Grateful that you included the additional info with the skin on the fish. Cooked to perfection, crispy skin, melt in your mouth fish. I used coconut oil for the frying, and a blend of maitake, shiitake and crimini mushrooms for the sauce, replacing the marsala with my “paleo wine” substitution.
I’ve made this several times now and each time it has been a smashing success! There is no better sea bass recipe out there!
Have you ever thought about adding a sliver or two of lemon grass to the mix?? Thoughts?
This was excellent I highly recommend very easy and delicious. will definitely keep as a favorite recipe
I just made this and it was very tasty!
I will definitely make it again
How thick is your fillet? What weight? These basic facts make an enormous difference, whether your cooking time works or not!
J, did you read steps 7 & 8 in the recipe?
I just tried this recipe for my wife and her mom and we ate every bite of it. This was absolutely delicious. We used red onions and white wine instead of Marsala, but otherwise, we followed the recipe. Definitely worth the effort!
Made this recipe tonight with Striped Bass that my boyfriend caught yesterday.
It was delicious!!!!!!! I added fresh spinach to mushrooms and onions.
This recipe had such good flavor, the paring of the mushrooms and onions with the marsala was awesome with the fish
Will make again….
Oh my gosh just made this. Put the sauce on the side because the fish on its own is incredible. Then added … Wow. My husbands all time favorite.
I have never cooked Chilean sea bass. I always order out. I found it on sale today and decided to give it a try. This sounds amazing and I can’t wait to try it tonight
This receipe was simply amazing! I added a little more Marsala for added flavor with the chicken stock. Spread some chive mashed potatoes on plate f and topped with fish and mushroom sauce. OMG , it was like a party in my mouth.
Thanks for making the instructions soooo detailed!!!!
Made this tonight with shiitakes, onions, and Malbec. Amazing dish. It was perfect! The fish was creamy and perfectly cooked. Wouldn’t change a thing! Thank you for sharing!
Just prepared this dish with a side of shrimp risotto. Best fish dish we’ve ever cooked at home. Used portobello mushrooms which added a great flavor to the dish. Can’t wait to make for friends and family.
Thank you for the great instructions and information on cooking Chilean Sea Bass! I’ve never cooked Chilean Sea Bass before but picked up a piece at the Whole Foods near work and definitely prefer this delicate flavor and cooking method over any other…we’ll be making this again. The mushrooms I used were a blend of dehydrated ones that we got at Costco (I did rehydrate them before cooking with them); it was so delicious I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again.
Wonderful recipe, however the sauce didn’t thicken it just cooked away. I also added asparagus.
Thanks
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this recipe! I made it a few years back, and it has been an absolute hit ever since. I made this for my now husband when we were dating and he has been hooked on me and this recipe ever since! SMILE 😉 He tells everyone that it is his favorite meal that I prepare. Thank you for the amazing recipe!
Thank you Karen for letting me know. Much appreciated.
Fantastic recipe, R.G. Jones!
My slightly more mushroomy variation included:
– black truffles in oil served atop the finished seabass (as well as a little in the sauce)
– shallots instead of onions
– a dash of garlic
– a squeeze of lemon
– porcini salt to garnish
served with a side of spinach. Thank you for providing the recipe, this was probably the tastiest fish I’ve cooked up to date.
Michael
First of all I never post comments (sorry) on anyone’s page, but I’ll start now. I love cooking nice meals with lots of flavor and this was one of them for sure!! My husband bought Seabass for dinner tonight so I searched for a recipe to make for him. He thought it was Chilean Seabass, but it was Mediterranean Sea Bass with the skin. I wasn’t sure the difference but they were so thin, so I decided to go with what we always use fresh Mahi. This recipe was absolutely AMAZING!! Searing in the pan first then followed by a few minutes in the oven left it flaky and moist. I served it with fresh sautéed spinich. Our next dinner party I will certainly make this! I wouldn’t change anything it was perfect. Thank you!
You are very welcome Tracy. Thanks for the kind comments.
Wow! I walked down to the fish market to get my Chilean sea bass and was dertermined to cook it properly. Wow! It was perfect. I had skin on so I followed those instructions and it was so wonderful. Also I didn’t have the mushroom but the onion reduction was still wonderful.
Thank you for posting your recipe!
You are welcome and thanks for letting me know.
Hey, I am the most amateur of cooks. IE. I never cook. I have made sea bass before, just seared it. Cooks easy and tastes great.
I think other amateurs wold benefit from my experience. I followed the directions to a tee and when I added canola oil to the hot cast iron pan, I had flames and nearly burnt down my house. I am lucky I did not panic and had a fire extinguisher nearby. So, I think you need to advise people of this. I have no idea how this happened to me and no one else.
Hi Chi, thank you for sharing your experience and describing your situation. I’ve had that happen to me a couple of times because I wasn’t paying attention and let the pan heat for too long before adding the oil and it flamed up. I used the pan’s cover to cover the pan and put out the fire but it was a scary moment for me too. Although I don’t say to preheat the pan before adding oil in this recipe, I do recommend it in my pan roasting techniques page. I do think it is important to heat up a pan before adding oil but I should be more clear about how hot. Years ago, I wrote a post How Much Heat To Use When Sauteing and will link the Pan Roasting page to it. On that page, I have a video showing you how I determine when a pan is ready for adding the oil by first using a teaspoon of water. Let me also add a warning to all cooks who are adding any ingredient to a hot pan, WARNING: Hot oil or any fat for that matter is very dangerous and can burn you. Most home cooks rarely get their pans and the fats they cook with to the proper temperature so if you do start heating your pans and fats to optimum levels before adding any cooking fat, be very careful not to burn yourself. You may even want to start at slightly lower levels than discussed here until you are comfortable before taking them a little higher.
I have never tried Marsala wine and so I did googled it to see if I could find out what it tasted like to know if I might like it in a recipe. When I did the search it said there are both dry and sweet Marsala’s, so my question is what should I pick to use in this recipe? Thanks,
Great question Kathy. I don’t think when making pan sauces it makes that much of a difference and the taste difference will not be that different. You are using the wine to deglaze the pan and then reducing it down. Saying that, I prefer a dry marsala for making sauces and prefer a sweet marsala for dessert recipes like tiramisu. Which one you decide really depends on your personal tastes. If you have both sweet and dry marsala on hand, make half the sauce with one and half with the other and see which one you like best. If you only want to buy one bottle, I would go for the dry marsala. Hope this helps.