Pan-Fried Sea Bass With Lemon Garlic Herb Sauce

This Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Lemon Garlic Herb Sauce is a delightful Mediterranean fish recipe. It takes only 20 minutes to prepare and is excellent for busy weeknights.

SEA BASS PAN-FRYING INSTRUCTIONS

To begin, pat the fish dry using a paper towel. It’s critical to drain the majority of the moisture from the fish to develop a lovely brown colour on the outside.

After that, dredge the fish in all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and black pepper combination. Dredging is the process of covering something in flour and shaking off the excess. Every square inch of the fish’s surface should be covered in a thin layer of flour, salt, and pepper. Then, in a mixture of olive oil and butter, fry the fish.

Why both, you might wonder?
It has a rich, golden colour from the butter, and it is crisp from the olive oil. If you use thin slices of sea bass, the fish will only take 3-4 minutes to cook on each side. Set aside on a plate.

SEA BASS PAN-FRIED WITH LEMON GARLIC HERB SAUCE
This Pan-Fried Sea Bass recipe is a delicious way to enjoy a mild, inexpensive fish that’s full of flavour thanks to fresh oregano, thyme, and parsley.

HOW TO MAKE THE SAUCE

Deglaze the skillet with white wine. Use dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc, is recommended. Use a wooden spoon to assist stir up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan as soon as you add them. Then, over medium-high heat, continue to cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated.

Then, in the same skillet, melt a little more butter. Toss in some finely minced garlic and a mixture of fresh chopped herbs (I used oregano, thyme, and parsley) to the pan. Sauté for about 30 seconds, or until aromatic. It’s important not to let the garlic burn. Add more chicken stock (or vegetable stock, or water if you don’t have any), heat until it begins to bubble, then remove from the heat and stir in some lemon juice and a bit more butter.

Ingredients
Three tbsp. butter
One tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Sea bass, such as Barramundi, weighing 1.5 lbs
A quarter cup of all-purpose flour
One tsp. kosher salt, plus more if necessary
A half teaspoon of black pepper (plus more if necessary)
Two garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup sauvignon blanc or other dry white wine
A pinch, 1/2 cup chicken stock/broth or water
A quarter of a lemon’s juice (about two tablespoons)
One tablespoon oregano, coarsely chopped
One tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
One tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Optional: lemon wedges for serving

Instructions
Pat the fish dry with paper towels
Combine the flour (1/4 cup), salt (1 teaspoon), and black pepper (1/2 teaspoon) in a shallow dish.
Coat each piece of fish in the flour mixture, ensure it is completely covered, and brush off any excess.
Melt one tablespoon of butter in a big skillet, preferably stainless steel or nonstick, over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil (1 tablespoon).
Cook the fish for 3-4 minutes on each side in the skillet, or until golden brown and thoroughly done. Do not move the fish too much, especially if you’re using a nonstick pan; otherwise, the fish will adhere to the bottom and won’t brown as nicely.

Transfer the fish to a platter from the skillet
Reduce the heat to a low setting. Deglaze the skillet with the white wine (1/4 cup), whisking up any browned pieces. Continue to heat until the wine has nearly completely evaporated.

In the skillet, add a tablespoon of butter. After the butter has melted, add the garlic and one tablespoon each of oregano, thyme, and parsley) to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Bring the chicken broth (1/2 cup) to a low boil.

Remove from heat and mix in the remaining one tablespoon of butter and the lemon juice (about two tablespoons). If required, taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve the sauce on the side of the fish.