Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Lemon Garlic Herb Sauce

This Pan Fried Sea Bass with Lemon Garlic Herb Sauce is a 20 minute, one-pan, budget-friendly Mediterranean recipe that’s perfect on busy weeknights.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1.5 lbs. sea bass
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more if needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus more if needed
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine such as savignon blanc
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock/broth or water, in a pinch
  • juice of one lemon about 2 tablespoons
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley roughly chopped
  • lemon wedges for serving optional

Directions

  1. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel.
  2. In a shallow dish, mix together the flour (1/4 cup), salt (1 teaspoon), and black pepper (1/2 teaspoon).
  3. Dredge each piece of fish in the flour mixture, coating the entire surface, and shake off any excess.
  4. In a large skillet, preferably stainless steel or nonstick, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium high heat and add the olive oil (1 tablespoon).
  5. Cook the fish in the skillet for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and fully cooked. Try not to move the fish too much, especially if you are using a pan that isn’t nonstick, otherwise the fish may be more likely to stick to the bottom and not get browned as nicely.
  6. Remove fish from the skillet to a plate.
  7. Add the white wine (1/4 cup) to the skillet to deglaze, stirring up any browned bits. Continue heating until almost all the wine has evaporated.
  8. Add one more tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Once it’s melted, add the minced garlic (2 cloves) and fresh herbs (1 tablespoon each of oregano, thyme, and parsley) to the skillet and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  9. Add the chicken broth (1/2 cup) and bring to a simmer.
  10. Turn off heat and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and lemon juice (about 2 tablespoons). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  11. Serve sauce on top of fish.

Adapted from www.bowlofdelicious.com