Roasted Fillet of White Sea Bass

By Shawn

LA Times

Ingredients

• 31/2 pound fillet white sea bass or king salmon, skin off and bloodline removed, brined (see note)
• Salt
• Espelette pepper (smoked or sweet paprika, or cayenne pepper can be substituted)
• Oil
• 2 tablespoons butter, plus 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened salted butter, divided
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 branch thyme
• Lemon juice, if needed
• Red wine vinegar, if needed
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped Italian parsley

Details

Adapted from latimes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1.Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Season the fish on both sides with a light sprinkling of salt and Espelette pepper.

2.Over medium heat, warm a sauté pan large enough to hold the fillet of fish. Add enough oil to coat the surface of the pan and add 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter starts to foam, carefully place the fillet in the pan. Add the garlic cloves and branch of thyme.

3.Cook the fish over medium heat until it is light golden in color, 3 to 4 minutes. Be very careful as the fish cooks that the pan does not get too hot and the butter does not brown too much; the fish should be tender, and heat that is too high will toughen the fillet.

4.Carefully flip the fillet, using 2 fish spatulas if needed. Cook 3 to 4 minutes more. As the fish cooks, gently baste it with the fat in the pan, spooning over the oil and butter to keep the fish moist as it cooks.

5.Remove the fish from the pan to a cooling rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet. Set the fish aside to rest for 3 minutes, then take the internal temperature with a thermometer. The internal temperature should read118 degrees. If the temperature is too low, brush the fish with the softened butter and place the fish in the oven for 3 minutes. Remove the fish from the oven and rest again for 3 minutes before taking the temperature. Repeat this process until the fish reaches 118 degrees.

6.Strain the cooking juices from the pan, discarding the garlic and thyme, and reserve for sauce, adding lemon juice or red wine vinegar if desired

7. To serve, slice the warmed fish into 8 portions.