Crispy Chilean Sea Bass with Roasted Fennel and Tomato

5 from 1 vote

Crispy Chilean sea bass served with roasted fennel, tomatoes, and onion in a bright citrus and red wine vinegar sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Fennel, Lemon, Sea Bass, Tomato

Servings:

Roast the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the tomatoes, fennel, onion, garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a baking dish. Toss to combine and roast for 30 minutes.
Prepare the sea bass: While the vegetables roast, thoroughly pat the sea bass dry and season both sides with the salt and pepper.
Sear the sea bass: Heat the avocado oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sea bass skin-side down and gently press with a spatula for several seconds to keep the skin flat against the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and releases easily from the pan.
Finish the sea bass: Flip the sea bass and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for about 4 minutes, adding the butter during the final minute and spooning it over the fish as it melts.
Finish the vegetables: Remove and discard the rosemary and thyme. Peel the roasted garlic and return it to the baking dish. Add the orange juice, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar. Stir to combine, smashing the softened garlic and gently bursting the tomatoes.
Serve: Divide the roasted vegetables between shallow bowls and top with the sea bass. Spoon the juices over and around the fish and garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.

Tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes both work well. Use any color or a mix of colors.
Fennel: Trim the stalks from the fennel bulb and reserve some of the fronds for serving. Cut the bulb in half lengthwise, remove the tough core, then cut into thin slices.
Sea bass: Skin-on Chilean sea bass is ideal for getting the crispy exterior in this recipe, but skinless fillets will also work. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fillets, so adjust as needed.
Crispy skin: For the crispiest skin, pat the sea bass very dry and make sure the pan and oil are hot before adding the fish. Avoid moving the fillets while they sear so the skin has time to crisp and release naturally from the pan.
Other fish: Another thick, firm white fish can be substituted for the Chilean sea bass. Adjust the cooking time based on the type and thickness of the fish.
Citrus: Freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice will give you the best flavor. Two tablespoons of orange juice is about 1/2 an orange, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice is about 1/2 a lemon.
Storage: Store leftover sea bass and roasted vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, reheat the sea bass in a pan over medium-low heat or in the oven until warmed through.