This Mary Berry sea bass dish is light, elegant, and packed with flavour. The crispy skin contrasts beautifully with the silky lemon sauce, making every bite irresistible. Serve with buttery new potatoes and fine green beans for a complete meal.
Ingredients Needed
- 4 sea bass fillets, each about 100g (3½oz)
- Olive oil, for brushing
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Creamy Lemon Sauce:
- 50g (1¾oz) butter
- 150ml single cream
- Juice and finely grated rind of ½ lemon
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp plain flour
- Ground white pepper
- 2 tsp finely snipped fresh chives
How To Make Sea Bass with Creamy Lemon Sauce
- Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the cream, lemon juice, egg yolk, and flour until smooth. Stir in the lemon rind. Return to low heat, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and white pepper. Set aside.
- Prepare the sea bass: Preheat a chargrill pan over high heat for 5–10 minutes. Meanwhile, pat the fillets dry with kitchen paper and score the skin by making a few shallow cuts. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
- Cook the fish: Reduce the heat to medium-high. Place the fillets skin-side down in the hot pan and cook for 3–4 minutes until the skin is crisp and lightly charred. Carefully flip the fillets using a fish slice and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Cook in batches if needed.
- Finish the sauce: Gently reheat the sauce over very low heat, then stir in the chives.
- Serve and enjoy: Place the sea bass on warm plates, skin-side up. Spoon some sauce over the fish and serve the rest in a jug on the side.
Recipe Tips
- Scoring the skin: Making small cuts helps keep the fillets flat and prevents curling while cooking.
- Achieving crispy skin: Cook skin-side down first, without moving the fillet, until crisp before flipping.
- Avoiding curdled sauce: Heat the sauce gently—too much heat can cause the egg yolk and cream to separate.
- Balancing flavours: Adjust the amount of lemon juice to taste. A little extra adds brightness, but too much can overpower the dish.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
Storing in the fridge: Let the fish and sauce cool separately, then store in airtight containers for up to 2 days.
Freezing: Not recommended, as the texture of the sauce and fish may change.
Reheating: Warm the fish in a pan over low heat for 2–3 minutes on each side. Gently reheat the sauce over very low heat, stirring constantly to prevent splitting.
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