Black Sea Bass Recipes

Black Sea Bass is a great fish to cook. The tender and flakey white meat can be used in a variety of dishes and its subtle flavor can be accented with numerous spices, herbs, fruits, and vegetables.

Baked Black Sea Bass with Spinach

Yield: 4 servings

4 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 TBSP softened butter, for brushing
1 5 oz bag spinach
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1 shallot, minced
4 8 oz skinless sea bass fillets
1/4 cup white wine

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Tear off four 18-inch lengths of foil. Generously brush the softened butter over an 8-inch square in the center of each foil sheet.

2. Mound the spinach in the center of the sheets and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the shallot.

3. Season both sides of each sea bass fillet with salt and pepper and set the fillets on the spinach. Scatter the pieces of butter over the fish. Pull the sides of the foil up around the fish and drizzle the fillets with the wine. Fold the edges of the foil to make sealed packets.

4. Arrange the packets on a baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.

5. Transfer 1 of the packets to a medium bowl. Carefully make a small tear in the side of the packet and pour the juices into the bowl. Repeat with the 3 remaining packets.

6. Using a spatula, transfer the fish and spinach to shallow soup plates, pour the cooking juices over the fish and serve.

Black Sea Bass with Roasted Corn and Peppers

Yield: 4 servings

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch squares
2 cups corn kernels
2 TBSP cooking oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 pounds sea bass, cut into 4 fillets

1. Heat the oven to 450°. In a large roasting pan, combine the red and yellow bell peppers, the corn, 1 TBSP of the oil, and 1/4 tsp each of the salt, pepper, and thyme. Roast in the oven until the corn and peppers start to brown, about 12 minutes, stirring twice.

2. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a blender. Strain the sauce, pressing on the chunks to extract the liquid.

3. With the blender on, slowly pour in the remaining 3/4 cup of oil until combined.

4. Rub the remaining TBSP oil over both sides of the fish. Sprinkle the fish with the remaining 1/4 tsp each salt, pepper, and thyme.

5. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and push the corn-and-pepper mixture to the sides of the pan. Put the fish in the center of the pan, skin-side down, and cook until just done, about 15 minutes for 1-inch-thick fillets.

6. Serve the fish with the corn and peppers.

Stuffed Black Sea Bass

Yield: 4 servings

Stuffing:
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP diced shallot
2 TBSP chopped yellow bell pepper
1 peeled tomato, seeded and chopped
1 TBSP of chopped Italian parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 black sea bass
4 TBSP melted butter
1 onion, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 bunch of dill
1/2 cup dry vermouth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. For the stuffing, melt butter in a sauce pan and add shallots, bell pepper, tomato, parsley, salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F.

3. Wash fish under cold running water, dry with paper towels. Stuff the fish and tie with string.

4. Grease a casserole dish with 2 TBSP butter, add stuffed fish and surround with slices of onion, bell pepper, and sprigs of dill.

5. Combine the remaining butter, vermouth, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fish and cook in oven for 30 minutes, keeping the fish moist by sprinkling with water every 10 minutes.

Pan Roasted Black Sea Bass

Yield: 2 servings

4 TBSP olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup Marsala or white wine
1 TBSP of butter
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup of chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 sea bass fillets
1 TBSP parsley, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Heat 2 TBSP of the olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the chopped onion until it's translucent, about 8 minutes.

3. Deglaze the pan with the wine and when most of the wine is cooked off add the mushrooms and butter. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the mushrooms are tender.

4. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, and let the sauce cook down until it thickens a little.

5. Meanwhile, in an oven proof sauté pan heat the other 2 TBSP of olive oil.

6. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and add to the hot sauté pan. Cook fillets for about 3 minutes on each side and then transfer to the oven for 3-4 minutes.

7. Spoon some of the onion-mushroom mixture onto plates and top with the pan roasted fillets.

Miso Glazed Black Sea Bass

Yield: 4 servings

2 TBSP soy sauce
1/3 cup sake
3 TBSP (packed) brown sugar
1/3 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
1/3 cup light yellow miso (soybean paste)
4 6-oz black sea bass fillets (about 3/4 inch thick each)
2 TBSP chopped green onions
2 TBSP chopped fresh basil

1. In a shallow glass baking dish mix together soy sauce, sake, brown sugar, mirin, and miso. Add the sea bass fillets and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2 - 6 hours.

2. Preheat broiler.

3. Remove fish from marinade and place them on rimmed baking sheet.

4. With broiler door slightly open, broil fish 6 inches from heat source until just opaque in center, about 6 minutes.

5. Transfer to plates and top with green onions and basil.