Bronzed Sea Bass with Lemon Shallot Butter

I originally found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  This recipe is from Ree’s friend Pastor Ryan and I want to make sure I give props for that because I would not want to step on this lovely woman’s or her friend’s toes.  This recipe was a great choice for a P10 dinner and we really enjoyed it.  I have altered it slightly for P10 use.

Pastor Ryan says that the coolest thing about this recipe is that it’s not really a recipe at all. It’s a method. It would work equally well with a hunk of halibut or a nice piece of salmon, or any other thick fish.  Great results every time.

Pastor Ryan’s Bronzed Sea Bass with Lemon Shallot Butter

Prep Time 20 Minutes       Cook Time 10 Minutes      

This recipe is meant for one person, but this would count as 2 protein servings and would be great for Stages 1, 2 or 3.

6 ounces, weight (to 7 ounces) piece of sea bass, with or without the skin on

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil along with 1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons butter

1 whole medium-sized shallot, minced
  (you could sub a small onion, but shallot is better)

1 whole lemon, zested and juiced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. MAKE SURE the pan you will use is okay to transfer to the oven.

Season both sides of the fish generously with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil and pat of butter in a medium-sized oven-safe pan over high heat for a few minutes to let the oil get nice and hot. 

Once the oil has heated up for a couple of minutes, drop the fish into place and let it sit there untouched for two minutes. (Don’t overcrowd the pan, as this will kill the ability to create a tasty crust on the fish.) Sear over high heat for 2 minutes, then transfer the pan into the 375-degree oven WITHOUT FLIPPING THE FISH OVER. Set the timer to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, begin making the lemon shallot butter sauce. Melt the 3 tablespoons butter over a medium-high heat. Add in the minced shallot and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes.

When the shallots have become a little softer, squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Whisk together and reduce the heat to medium until you’ve got an incredible-smelling sauce. (Skipping the shallots in this process will make a super-simple lemon butter sauce.)
NOTE:  please make sure this a nice gentle heat or the sauce will break-don’t ask me how I know this-jh

Once the fish has been in the oven for 8 minutes, remove it and let it rest for a moment before serving. Take this time to check for an remove the pin bones if your butcher didn’t do it for you.

As you can see, there’s now a beautiful crust on one side of the fish that creates an awesome texture and flavor.  You could serve a piece of fish like this along with a nice bed of brown rice or quinoa (Stage 2/3 only) and a variety of veggies.  Put on top of a salad and you’ve got something pretty special sitting in front of you.

Photo provided by Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman