20-Minute Sea Bass Fillet with Lemon and Capers

Sea bass with lemon and capers takes 20 minutes: sear the fillets skin side down in a skillet until the skin is crisp, then make a quick sauce of butter, garlic, capers and lemon juice in the same pan. The fish cooks almost all the way through on the skin side, so the flesh stays juicy and the skin never goes soft. It is a weeknight dinner that only needs white rice or a green salad next to it.

The secret to crisp skin

Sea bass skin shrinks the moment it touches a hot pan, so the fillet curls and only part of the skin gets seared. There are two simple fixes. First, score the skin with three shallow cuts, without reaching the flesh. Then, as soon as the fillet goes into the pan, press it gently with a wide spatula for 20 seconds, until it relaxes and stays flat.

The second thing is drying. A wet fillet steams instead of searing, so take the fish out of the fridge ten minutes before cooking and pat it very dry with paper towels on both sides. Salt it right before it goes into the pan, not earlier, because early salt draws out moisture.

A sauce in a minute and a half

Once the fish is out, the pan holds fat that tastes of seared skin. Lower the heat, add butter and sliced garlic, and after half a minute the capers and lemon juice. The lemon stops the butter from browning and lifts what is stuck to the bottom. A spoonful of water brings the sauce together, and if it splits, swirl the pan until it turns glossy again.

Spoon the sauce around the fish, not over it, so the skin stays crisp until serving. If you prefer capers less salty, rinse them first. Any skin-on white fish fillet, such as sea bream or meagre, works with the same timing.

The recipe

20-Minute Sea Bass Fillet with Lemon and Capers

Pan-seared sea bass with crisp skin and a butter, lemon and caper pan sauce. 20 minutes.

• Servings 4 servings
• Prep 8 min
• Cook 12 min
• Total 20 min

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Ingredients

• 4 skin-on sea bass fillets (about 5 oz / 150 g each)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• black pepper (ground)
• 3 tbsp / 40 g butter
• 2 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
• 2 tbsp capers (drained)
• 1 lemon (juiced, plus a few thin slices to serve)
• 1 tbsp water

To serve (optional)

• 2 tbsp parsley (chopped)

Instructions

1. Take the fish out of the fridge 10 minutes before cooking and pat it very dry with paper towels. Score the skin of each fillet with three shallow cuts.

2. Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper.

3. Lay the fillets in the pan skin side down and press them gently with a wide spatula for 20 seconds. Sear 4 to 5 minutes without moving them, until the skin is golden and crisp and the flesh is nearly white to the top.

4. Flip, sear one minute and move to plates, skin side up.

5. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the butter and garlic to the pan and cook half a minute.

6. Add the capers, lemon juice and water and swirl the pan for one minute, until the sauce is glossy.

7. Spoon the sauce around the fish, add lemon slices and sprinkle with parsley.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do you sear sea bass in a pan?
4 to 5 minutes on the skin side, then one minute on the flesh side. Timing depends on thickness: a 3/4-inch (2 cm) fillet needs the full time.

How do I know the fish is done?
The flesh turns from translucent to opaque white and flakes into layers when pressed gently.

Can I make the sauce without butter?
Yes, with olive oil. The sauce will be thinner, so swirl the pan well before serving.

What goes with lemon caper sea bass?
White rice, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes or a green salad. Something that soaks up the sauce.