Pan Seared Sea Bass

There's really nothing simpler than these pan seared sea bass fillets, as they take just minutes to cook, for a delicious meal.

These fillets are marinated in olive oil and orange slices then quickly fried to perfection.

Then, lemon and orange juice are added to the pan with a chiffonade of basil to make a quick and delicious sauce.

Decorate with the orange and lemon slices for an elegant meal.

This dish is perfect for a quick dinner, or a special celebration such as Easter, as there's no slaving away in the kitchen.

Enjoy!

Sea bass are found all around the United Kingdom and are a delicious fish to eat.

The flesh is mild and creamy, which makes it perfect for those that don't like strongly flavoured fish and the fillets rarely have any bones.

Although pan fried sea bass is delicious on its own, I've marinated the fish in a mixture of olive oil, seasoning and oranges, which gives the fish a citrusy light flavour, that is very refreshing.

After just a few minutes of cooking the fish is done and a quick sauce is made with orange and lemon juice, which keeps the whole dish moist.

Why you will love this dish

• Quick preparation in advance
• Fast cooking
• Light and refreshing
• Simple ingredients
• Perfect for entertaining
• Only 394 calories a portion

Jump to:

• Why you will love this dish
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🍽 Equipment
• 🔪 Instructions
• ⏲️ Cooking Time
• 🥗 Side Dishes
• Substitutions
• 📖 Variations
• Storage
• FAQs
• 📋 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

🥘 Ingredients

• Sea bass - boneless fillets - allow one per person.
• Oranges - any variety.
• Lemon - waxed or unwaxed as the skin will be removed.
• Oil - plain olive oil.
• Basil - fresh basil leaves.
• Salt - flaked sea salt.
• Pepper - freshly ground mixed peppercorns.
• Flour - plain or all purpose flour for dredging.

See recipe card for quantities.

🍽 Equipment

• Sharp knife
• Large frying pan / skillet
• Juicer
• Large shallow dish
• Fish Slice
• Wooden spoon

🔪 Instructions

Juice one orange and half of the lemon.

Cut and remove the rind from the remaining orange and lemon half then slice.

💭 Top Tip

• Use a serrated tomato knife to slice off the top and bottom from citrus fruit, removing as much of the bitter white pith as posssible.
• Place the fruit flat on a board then slice off the skin from top to bottom, like a pineapple.
• Trim any remaining white parts and slice the fruit.
• If you don't have a juicer, cut the fruit in half and squeeze over a sieve over a bowl to catch any pips.

Place the fish fillets in a shallow dish in one layer and drizzle over 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and half of the pepper.

Lay the orange and lemon slices on top.

Cover the dish and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Finely slice the basil leaves in a chiffonade.

💭 Top Tip

• Take the basil leaves off the stalks and stack a few leaves on top of each other. Roll the leaves up lenghtways and finely slice. This will produces little ribbons of basil, ( or chiffonade in French).

Mix the flour with the salt and remaining pepper in a dish.

Pat the fish dry with paper towel and dip in the flour.

Shake off any excess.

⏲️ Cooking Time

Heat the remaining oil in a large pan over a medium to high heat.

Place the fish skin down in the pan and leave to cook for 2 minutes.

Turn over carefully and cook the other side for a further 2 minutes.

Remove the fish and keep warm while you make the sauce.

Add the butter to the pan to melt then stir in the lemon and orange juices for a minute.

Stir in the basil then pour over the fish.

Garnish the pan seared sea bass with the marinade fruit slices to serve.

🥗 Side Dishes

There are more to choose from on the side dishes page, but here are some of my favourite dishes with pan fried sea bass.

• Minted Mushy Peas
• Cavolo Nero Kale
• Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
• Samphire
• Celeriac Purée
• Chateau Potatoes
• Potatoes Parisienne
• French Peas
• Fennel and Pear Salad
• Tarragon Potato Salad
• Broccoli and Edamame Salad

Substitutions

• Fish - use cod, haddock, pollake, hale, sole, monkfish, prawns, salmon. Keep in mind that cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish.

📖 Variations

• Limes - use a combination of limes and lemons if you prefer.
• Herbs - instead of basil ise fresh tarragon or parsley or dill.

Storage

• Refrigerator - cover and keep cooked fish for up to 2 days.
• Freezer - wrap well and freeze for up to 23 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• To reheat - wrap in foil and place in the oven to heat or shallow fry.

FAQs

More fish recipes

If you like the recipe for pan seared sea bass there are more recipes on the seafood page or try out some of these ideas.

• Salmon Meuniere
• Poor Man's Lobster Thermidor
• Cod Mornay
• Lobster with Dill Mayonnaise
• Smoked Haddock Kedgeree
• Salmon Gravlax
• Salmon Mac and Cheese
• Pan Seared Scallops
• Monkfish with Chorizo
• Cod Cheeks with Chorizo

📋 Recipe

Food Safety

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
• Wash hands after touching raw meat.
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
• Always have good ventilation when using gas.

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