I used Chilean sea bass to make this recipe—it is a delicious mild fish with soft, flaky texture. Chilean sea bass is similar to black cod in flavor, and either one may be used in the recipe. The flakes are not firm like cod, but soft and delicate. The sauce would be excellent drizzled over halibut or haddock as well, but make sure to adjust the baking time if using a different species.
The fish is seasoned with a simple combination of salt, pepper, and paprika, but feel free to use a spicier blend, such as Old Bay or Creole seasoning, or add a dash of onion powder and thyme.
The recipe is easy to scale down, making it an excellent dish to serve for a special dinner for two.
Variations
- Season the fish with a light sprinkling of Creole or Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, or Adobo seasoning.
- Brighten the fish with a garnish of freshly chopped parsley.
How to Store Leftover Baked Fish
- Refrigerate leftover fish fillets and sauce mixture in separate airtight containers and consume within 3 days.
- To keep leftover fish moist, it’s best to reheat it slowly. Place the fish fillets on a lightly buttered rack set in a baking pan. Cover the fish with foil and bake in a preheated 275 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness.
Baked Chilean Sea Bass With Lemon Butter Sauce
Chilean sea bass is a delicious, mild fish with soft flakes. The lemony beurre blanc is the perfect sauce for this delectable fish!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Fish, Special Occasions
Ingredients
For the Lemon Butter Sauce
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, diced into 1-inch cubes
- Salt, to taste
- Pinch cayenne pepper
For the Sea Bass
- Olive oil or olive oil spray
- 4 sea bass fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each
- Dash kosher salt, to taste
- Dash freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Dash paprika
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
Prepare the Sauce
- In a saucepan, combine the dry white wine, shallots, cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until reduced by about 75 percent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- While whisking constantly, add a few cubes of cold butter at a time. When 2 cubes melt and blend into the wine mixture, add 2 more cubes. Continue until all of the butter is incorporated.
- Taste the sauce and season with salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Keep the sauce warm.
Prepare the Sea Bass
- Heat the oven to 425 and place a rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Oil the rack with olive oil or olive oil spray.
- Sprinkle the sea bass all over with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Place the sea bass on the oiled rack and bake for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Look for an internal temperature of 135 F to 140 F.
- Serve the sea bass with the beurre blank sauce and lemon wedges.
