Food & Cooking Recipes Ingredients Seafood Recipes Sautéed Black Sea Bass With Capers and Herb-Butter Sauce 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews This quick fish dish is finished with a sunny herb sauce. By Greg Lofts Greg Lofts Greg is the deputy food editor for Martha Stewart Living. Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 19, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Rachel Marek Prep Time: 20 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 4 There’s nothing better than a simple dish that packs in a whole lot of flavor. That’s the perfect way to describe this sautéed black sea bass recipe. It’s easy to make, uses simple, wholesome ingredients, and is prepared in one skillet—what more can you ask for in a dinner recipe? Black sea bass is a mildly flavored white fish with thin skin and delicate, flaky flesh. It’s the perfect fish for sautéing for a handful of reasons. First, it cooks in just a few minutes. The fillets are relatively thin, so it doesn’t take long for the fish to cook through. Second, its mild flavor makes it incredibly versatile. You can serve sea bass with a simple squeeze of lemon juice or add bold flavors like curry paste or chiles. Lastly, sea bass has a thin skin that crisps up to perfection. Even if you’re partial to skinless fillets, this recipe will change your mind. We pair the black bass fillets with a vibrant butter sauce flavored with capers, vermouth, and a handful of tender green herbs. Serve it with your favorite side dish and dinner will be ready in no time. How to Prevent Fish from Sticking to a Pan Using Other Fish for This Recipe We love this dish because the fish cooks quickly and gets a super crispy skin. To achieve this, you have to choose the right kind of fish. Our recipe utilizes black sea bass, which fits the bill. If you want to use a different type of fish, there are a few things to keep in mind: Light and fresh flavor: Choose fish fillets that have a fresh, mild flavor. Most white fish fillets fall into this category, so you have a lot of options! Just stay away from fish with strong flavors that could overpower the flavors of the dish, such as salmon or tuna. Tender but firm texture: White fish vary widely in terms of texture. For instance, tilapia and trout are quite delicate; on the other hand, fish like cod and swordfish tend to have a much meatier and firmer texture. Black sea bass is a great compromise—it's tender but can hold up to a quick sizzle in the pan. Moderate thickness: Fish like cod and halibut are too thick for this recipe. Since the fish cook completely on the stovetop, look for fillets that are no more than 1-inch thick. Black sea bass tends to be a bit more expensive compared to many other white fish fillets. Luckily, this recipe works with other flaky white fish with thin skin. Instead of sea bass, you can try using trout, snapper, flounder, or branzino. Choosing Fresh Fish Whether you're at the fish counter of your local supermarket, a specialty fishmonger, or picking up fish from a vendor at the farmers' market, there are two things you want to pay attention to when choosing fresh fish—appearance and smell. Appearance: The easiest way to identify the freshest fish fillets is by their look. Fillets should appear firm and moist. If the flesh is torn or looks like it’s started to shred, this is a sign that the fish is not fresh. Smell: Fish really shouldn’t smell "fishy." When you take a whiff, there can be a faint fishy odor, but for the most part, the fillets should smell like the ocean’s salt water. The Fresher the Better If you have the option, ask your fishmonger to fillet a whole fish for you instead of buying them already filleted. What Is Instant Flour? You’ve probably seen bottles of Wondra on the supermarket shelves. Wondra is a kind of instant flour—a low-protein flour that is pre-cooked and dried out. It has a superfine granular texture, so it incorporates into things quite effortlessly—that’s why it is often used to thicken gravy, soup, and stew much of the time. It’s also perfect to use as a light breading for meat and fish. If a recipe instructs you to coat beef cubes in flour or cornstarch when making stew, instant flour is an even better alternative. Since the flour is so finely ground, it creates an incredibly light and crisp crust. We use it to crisp up the skins of the fish fillets in this recipe. The instant flour soaks up the oil and makes the fish skin deliciously crispy. For Evenly Cooked FishSlashing the fish skin a few times (at two-inch intervals) means that when you lay the fish skin-side down in the hot pan, it won’t curl up and cook unevenly. Ingredients 4 skin-on black sea bass fillets (about 1 ¼ pounds total) Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper Instant flour, such as Wondra, for sprinkling 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil ⅓ cup dry vermouth 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed 3 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ cup lightly packed chopped fresh tender herbs, such as parsley, dill, tarragon, and chives Directions Rachel Marek Prep fish: Pat fillets dry; slash skin side of each crosswise in 2-inch intervals. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with flour to evenly coat, shaking off excess. Rachel Marek Cook: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. When oil shimmers and wisps of smoke rise from skillet, add fish in a single layer, skin-sides down. Reduce heat to medium; cook, undisturbed, until skin is crisp and flesh is opaque halfway up sides and almost cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on thickness. Rachel Marek Flip fish and continue cooking: Flip and continue cooking until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Rachel Marek Move fish to serving plates: Transfer to plates, skin-sides up. Rachel Marek Deglaze pan: Add vermouth to skillet; boil until mostly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Rachel Marek Rachel Marek Add capers and butter to sauce: Add capers and butter; cook until butter simmers and sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Rachel Marek Add herbs: Remove from heat; stir in herbs. Rachel Marek Return fish to pan and spoon sauce over: Return fish to skillet, skin-side up; spoon butter sauce over top. Serve immediately. Rachel Marek Storage If you have leftovers, store the fish and sauce separately. Place each in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 1 day. How to Store Fish the Right Way (So Your Fridge Doesn't Smell) Reheating To reheat the fish fillets, heat a slick of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the fish skin-side down in the hot pan and cover for about 1 minute, just until the fish is warmed through. Uncover and cook for another 30 seconds or so to re-crisp the skin, if desired. You can reheat the sauce separately in the microwave or just stir it into the same skillet with the fish during the last few seconds of cooking. Frequently Asked Questions Should fish be cooked with oil or butter? Fish can be cooked with either oil or butter. For this recipe, we sear the fish fillets in olive oil and finish them with a buttery herb and caper sauce. If you want to sear fish with butter, make sure to add a bit of oil as well. Butter has a much lower smoke point, so it tends to burn—adding some olive or vegetable oil will keep that from happening. Why do I coat the fish before cooking? Coating the fish with instant flour helps effortlessly crisp up the skin. Some leftover bits of flour will ultimately end up sticking to the pan, so when you make the butter sauce, that flour will help thicken it slightly. How can I tell when fish is done? It's easy to tell when fish is done—and it’s important to keep an eye on it as tender white fish like black sea bass cooks quickly. A simple way to check for doneness is to insert a thin paring knife into the thickest part of the fillet. If the blade feels hot to the touch, the fish is cooked through. If you don’t mind cutting into the fish, you can also use a fork to apply some light pressure—the fish is cooked thoroughly when it flakes easily. Other White Fish Recipes to Try: Whole Roasted Sea Bass Grilled Striped Bass Skillet Cod With Bulgur, Zucchini, and Tomatoes Roasted Sea Bass With Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, and Salsa Rustica Slow-Cooker Indian-Style Fish Curry Broiled Striped Bass With Tomatoes and Fennel Coconut, Fish, and Pumpkin Stew Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, March 2019 Rate It PRINT Updated by Riley Wofford Riley Wofford Riley is an associate food editor for Martha Stewart Living.