Barefoot Contessa Chilean Sea Bass Recipes

SAUTEED CHILEAN SEA BASS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
• Place flour for dredging in a shallow bowl. Coat each fillet with seasoned flour and shake off excess. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add butter/olive oil combination. Add the fillets, without crowding. Increase heat to high and saute, shaking the pan from time to time, until the bottom of the fish is nicely browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side. Remove fish to a plate and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining fillets.
• Deglaze the pan with white wine. Cook, stirring over high heat until reduced by about one-third. Stir in remaining butter and drained capers.
• Plate fish and drizzle sauce around each fillet.

ROASTED CHILEAN SEA BASS WITH CHIVE OIL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chives in a food processor. Turn on the processor and add the olive oil through the feed tube in a thin steady stream. Season with salt and pepper. Stop to taste, then adjust, adding more oil, chives, salt or pepper as desired. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and reserve.
• Place the sea bass in a sauté pan or roasting pan just large enough to fit the fillets. Sprinkle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast until the fish is just barely cooked in the center. It will continue to cook once it is removed from the oven. (It should take about 9 minutes per inch of thickness.)
• Transfer the sea bass to serving plates and sprinkle with the chive oil.

CHILEAN SEA BASS*

Steps:

• Saute shallots, garlic, red chili flakes, and cayenne pepper in a large dry skillet or saucepan over medium heat until fragrant. Add clam juice, white wine, honey, and gelatin and reduce for about 45 minutes.
• Preheat a grill to medium, using mesquite wood. Place bass on grill and quickly sear the fish. Then brush the sauce on the fish and return the fish to the fire and cook until fish is opaque and a knife slides in easily, making sure to brush on the sauce each time the fish is turned.
• Remove sea bass from heat and serve with fresh vegetables and starch of choice.

SEA BASS WITH LEMON AND CAPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season sea bass fillets with salt and pepper. In a saute pan, over high heat, add the olive oil and sear fish fillets skin side down first, for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn fish over and cook another 4 minutes or until cooked through.
• Meanwhile, prepare the croutons. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Toss with bread cubes and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake in oven for 4 minutes or until crisp and golden in color. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
• In another saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter. Over high heat, saute the baby vegetables until glazed. Divide into 2 and mound in center of plate. Keep warm.
• Add the remaining 2 ounces of butter to the fillets and baste them with the butter. Place a fillet and the red peppers on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle half of the croutons on top and around each fillet. To butter, add shallots and continue to cook until butter turns brown. Deglaze with lemon juice, and add the lemon pieces, parsley, chives, tarragon, capers, and caper berries. When heated, pour half over and around each fillet. Serve immediately.
• Note: if sea bass is not available, any firm white fish can be substituted.

PAN SEARED CHILEAN SEA BASS WITH WILD MUSHROOM GRITS AND FRESH SPINACH

Steps:

• Season the sea bass with salt and pepper.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, add the canola oil and heat the oil to a slight smoke. Add 1 sprig of fresh thyme to the saute pan and sear the sea bass skin side down for 3/4 of the cooking time about 7 minutes. This will give the fish a beautiful crisp skin and golden color.
• While the fish is cooking start the grits. In a 2 quart saucepot add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 sprig of fresh thyme. When the butter begins to brown, add the mushrooms and saute until golden. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the grits, add the chicken stock, and reduce to a simmer. When the grits begin to thicken finish with heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of butter. Season with salt and pepper, when ready to serve, remove the thyme sprig. Keep the grits warm on a low temperature.
• Carefully turn the fish over, to finish the other side. Remove the sea bass and hold in a warm place.
• In the same saute pan, on the same temperature, add the spinach. It will quickly wilt. Finish the spinach with the remaining whole butter and season with salt and pepper.
• For presentation, serve this dish in a large soup bowl. Using a ladle, scoop a small amount of grits into the bottom of each bowl. Layer a small amount of spinach on the grits and finish with the sea bass. Garnish with fresh thyme.