Sea Bass Meunière.
Serves 2
Pan-fried sea bass with a classic brown butter & caper sauce, served with charred asparagus and new potatoes
Tips for cooking the fish:
Dry the fillets well. Moisture = soggy skin. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper before seasoning.
Get the pan hot (but not smoking). The flour needs heat to crisp up—aim for medium-high and let the oil heat before adding the fish.
Don’t rush it. Let the fish cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes before flipping. It should release easily when it’s ready.
Equipment.
sharp knife & chopping board
saucepan with lid
frying pan
sieve/colander
kitchen roll
spatula/fish slice
Ingredients.
2 sea bass filets, or 4 if they’re small/you’re hungry!
2 tbsp plain flour
Neutral cooking oil, for shallow frying
Salt, to taste
50g butter
2 tbsp capers
1 lemon, juice only
A few sprigs of fresh parsley
200g asparagus
500g new potatoes, or jersey royals
Method.
Turn oven onto lowest setting (50c) and warm up plates/serving dishes
Add the potatoes to a pan, halving the larger ones, and cover with cold water
Season the water generously with salt and place on a medium heat (lid on) to come to the boil
Once boiling, cook for around 15min or until tender (check packet as some varieties do vary)
Remove the fish from the packaging and pat dry thoroughly with some kitchen paper. Season both sides generously with salt and leave, drying, on the kitchen paper
Finely chop the parsley and set aside
Break off the woody tips from the asparagus and rub them in a little oil & salt
Place the flour on a plate and dredge each piece of fish in it ensuring it’s completely coated. Shake off any excess then set aside
Add the oiled asparagus to a searing hot pan and allow it to charr for around 5-7mins, or until just cooked through.
Once charred, add a splash of water to the pan to allow the steam to finish the cooking
Set asparagus aside on a warmed plate in the oven (still on 50c) and wipe this frying pan out to reuse
Once cooked, drain the potatoes and add a knob of butter & a pinch of salt. Toss in the pan and set aside with the lid on and heat off to keep warm
Meanwhile, cover the base of the frying pan in a couple of millimetres of neutral cooking oil and heat on medium-high
When hot (but not smoking), add the fish carefully and cook for just a couple of minutes on each side, pushing the fillets down with a spatula until lightly golden
Remove the fish from the pan and set aside on a warm plate to rest (not in the oven)
Wipe any excess oil from the pan with some kitchen paper
For the Meuniere sauce, add the butter to the hot pan and let it bubble for a few minutes until it smells nutty and looks golden brown in colour. Be careful not to burn it
Remove from the heat and add the capers, the juice of the lemon and the parsley, then pour the sauce over the cooked fish to serve
18. Serve with the buttered potatoes and charred asparagus on the side
