Chilean Sea Bass Recipe

Prepare and sauté

Trim cauliflower into florets and rinse. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the finely chopped shallot and cook 2–3 minutes until translucent but not browned. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Simmer

Add the cauliflower florets to the pan and pour in 400 ml stock so it just covers the cauliflower. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until very tender, about 10–12 minutes.

Blend to velouté

Once cauliflower is tender, transfer contents (including stock) to a high-speed blender. Add 60 ml heavy cream, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Puree until completely smooth and silky, 1–2 minutes. If mixture is too thick, add up to 50 ml extra warm stock to reach a spoon-coating velouté consistency.

Finish

Return the velouté to the saucepan, gently warm over low heat to serving temperature, taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm while you cook the fish.

In a small saucepan, combine 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil, 4 thyme sprigs, and the optional smashed garlic clove. Warm gently over very low heat for 8–10 minutes — do not let the oil smoke. Remove from heat and let steep until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes. Remove thyme stems and garlic. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon finishing salt if using. Transfer to a small pourer for drizzling.

Dry and season

Pat the sea bass fillets very dry with paper towels (this is crucial for a golden crust). Season both sides generously with kosher salt (about 3/4 tsp per side total) and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, pressing the seasoning lightly into the flesh.

Preheat pan

Heat a large stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high until hot, about 2–3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons neutral oil and swirl to coat. The oil should shimmer but not smoke.

Sear skin-side down

Carefully place the fillets in the pan skin-side down, pressing each gently with a spatula for 10–15 seconds to ensure even contact and prevent curling. Cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes, until the skin is deep golden-brown and crisp and the fish is cooked about two-thirds of the way through (top will look opaque about two-thirds up).

Finish in butter

Reduce heat to medium-low, add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to the pan. Tilt the pan slightly and spoon the melted butter over the top of the fillets (basting) for 30–45 seconds to finish cooking and build flavor. Cook until the fillet reaches an internal temperature of 54–56°C (130–133°F) for moist medium doneness, about 1–2 more minutes depending on thickness.

Rest

Transfer the fillets to a warm plate and rest 2 minutes while you plate.

Spoon a generous ladle (about 120–150 ml) of the warm cauliflower velouté into the center of each warm plate, spreading it slightly to create a bed.

Place one sea bass fillet on top of each velouté bed, skin-side up to showcase the crisp crust (or skin-side down if you prefer).

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the warm thyme-infused olive oil around and over the fish. Finish with a light scattering of microgreens or chopped chives and a pinch of fresh thyme leaves. Serve each portion with a lemon wedge to squeeze over the fish.

Optional: For extra gloss, spoon any pan juices and butter from the skillet over the fillets just before serving.