Chilean Sea Bass with Lemon Butter Sauce
Chilean Sea Bass has a rich, buttery flavor and tender, flaky texture that's paired with a light and bright lemon butter sauce.
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 1096kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons chicken broth
- 0.25 cup ghee or unsalted butter
- 0.25 cup heavy cream or canned coconut milk (shake before using)
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder or more to taste
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Poached Sea Bass
- 10 ounces Chilean sea bass 2-4 pieces
- kosher salt and black pepper sprinkle on both sides
- 7 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
- Chop the cauliflower into florets and steam for 10-12 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- Transfer the cooked cauliflower to a large bowl. Add butter, minced garlic, chicken broth, and heavy cream. Puree with a stick blender until smooth, adjusting the cream for your desired consistency. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.
Sea Bass
- Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel. Lightly season both sides of the fish with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Use a heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron or stainless steel works best) and add 7 tablespoons of ghee/butter, minced garlic, and fresh thyme sprig. Heat over medium-low heat until it’s lightly bubbling.
- Carefully place the fish in the pan, then swirl the pan around so the butter coats the top of each filet. I like to scoop and pour the butter over the top of the fish with a large spoon to help it cook from the top as well.
- Allow the fish to poach slowly until it becomes opaque, and it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), about 3-5 minutes. Continue swirling the butter frequently to prevent it from burning. Thicker fillets may be carefully flipped over to finish cooking.
- Remove fish and divide between two plates, placing sea bass on top of mashed cauliflower. Stir lemon juice into butter in skillet, then spoon lemon butter sauce over the fish. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute or add other herbs such as dill, parsley, or tarragon, depending on your flavor preference.
- If you cannot find sea bass, substitute cod, sablefish, snapper, or halibut.
- Store leftover fish and mashed cauliflower separately in airtight containers, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat fish and cauliflower separately before serving.
- You will not use all of the butter sauce when serving, but you need that much butter to poach the fish.
Nutrition
Calories: 1096kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 104g | Saturated Fat: 58g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 288mg | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 1313mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 745IU | Vitamin C: 207mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 2mg