Try this Spiced Sea Bass with Citrus Butter Sauce recipe
- 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- 4 sea bass fillets skin on.
- 2 tablespoons butter.
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped.
- 2 lemons.
- 1 large orange juiced.
- 100 ml water.
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt pounded.
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom ground.
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon ground.
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger ground.
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper ground.
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric ground.
- 350 g spring greens very finely shredded.
- 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas.
- Carbohydrate 10.1222925 g
- Cholesterol 61.06 mg
- Fat 37.077355 g
- Fiber 4.68912483310699 g
- Protein 5.0588875 g
- Saturated Fat 16.527737 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (392g)
- Sodium 101.625 mg
- Sugar 5.43316766689301 g
- Trans Fat 2.12586699999999 g
- Calories 377 calories
Step-by-step
- Blot the sea bass fillets and lie skin-side down on kitchen paper. Combine all the rub ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the fillets. Press lightly.
- Before you start frying the fish, cook the spring greens. Wash thoroughly, then put in a large lidded saucepan without shaking off too much water. Cover and heat gently until the greens have wilted down and are just al dente – they should be a fresh, bright green.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. When hot, add the sea bass fillets, skin side down, and fry for a couple of minutes. Flip over and cook for a further 30 seconds.
- Remove from the frying pan and keep warm. Add the butter, garlic, lemon zest and juice and orange juice to the pan. Turn up the heat and let the mixture bubble until you have a glossy, syrupy sauce. Pour into a jug.
- Deglaze the pan with the water. Add the chickpeas and spring greens and stir to pick up any flavour residue. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve the fish with the chickpeas and greens, and the sauce spooned over.
Cardamom carries the heaviest aromatic weight in this spice rub, demanding a fine grind so the coarse particles do not burn in the hot oil before the fish finishes cooking. Fresh citrus yields superior results compared to bottled juices, delivering brighter natural acidity that emulsifies cleanly with the butter. When searing skin-on fillets, ensure the frying pan reaches medium-high heat before adding the fish to guarantee a crisp skin.
Managing Second-Day Textures
Leftover chickpeas and greens absorb residual flavors overnight, making them ideal for a quick reorganization on day two. Reheat the vegetables gently in a covered skillet with two tablespoons of water over medium-low heat for four minutes, preventing the greens from turning drab and gray. Fold the chilled fish flakes into the warm chickpea base only after removing the pan from the heat source.
- If the pan pan-dries too quickly during deglazing, splash an extra tablespoon of water to loosen the caramelized bits.
- Should the citrus butter sauce break or separate, whisk in one teaspoon of cold water vigorously off the heat to bring the emulsion back together.
