Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Sea Bass
- 300 g sea bass fillets, skin-on, scaled, pin bones removed
- 15 ml grapeseed oil
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g white pepper
- 10 g cornstarch
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 60 ml pineapple juice
- 30 ml rice vinegar
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 20 g brown sugar
- 15 g tomato ketchup
- 5 g fresh ginger, finely grated
- 5 g cornstarch, mixed with 15ml cold water to form a slurry
Citrus Fennel Salad
- 150 g fennel bulb, cored and very thinly sliced
- 130 g navel orange, peeled and segmented
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 10 ml fresh lemon juice
- 5 g fresh mint leaves, torn
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 471 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbohydrates
- 50 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 36 g
- Sodium
- 1221 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 62 mg
- Potassium
- 1030 mg
- Calcium
- 111 mg
- Iron
- 2.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 103 mg
- Phosphorus
- 370 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 153 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 63 mg
- Vitamin D
- 8.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 52 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.29 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.28 mg
- Niacin
- 3.7 mg
- Folate
- 66 mcg
- Water
- 272 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, and grated ginger until the sugar dissolves. Set the cornstarch slurry aside.
Using a mandoline slicer or a sharp chef knife, shave the fennel bulb as thinly as possible. Place the shaved fennel into a clean mixing bowl along with the orange segments.
Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice over the fennel and oranges. Toss gently to combine. Fold in the torn mint leaves and season lightly with salt. Set aside to marinate.
Pour the sweet and sour liquid mixture into a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer until the sauce becomes glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Thoroughly pat the sea bass fillets dry with paper towels to prevent splattering and ensure a crispy skin. Score the skin lightly with a sharp knife in 3 places. Season both sides with kosher salt and white pepper. Dust the skin side evenly with the 10g of cornstarch.
Heat the grapeseed oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, carefully lay the sea bass fillets skin-side down. Press firmly on the flesh with a flexible fish spatula for the first 15 seconds to prevent the fillets from curling. Cook undisturbed until the skin is deeply golden and crispy.
Carefully flip the fillets and cook on the flesh side until the fish is opaque throughout and reaches an internal temperature of 63 degrees Celsius or 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
To serve, place a mound of the citrus fennel salad on each plate. Rest the sea bass fillet partially over the salad, skin-side up. Spoon the warm sweet and sour sauce around the base of the plate and garnish with reserved fennel fronds.
Chef's Notes
- Pressing down on the fish fillet as soon as it hits the hot pan is essential. The proteins in the skin contract violently when exposed to heat, which causes curling. Holding it flat ensures even, crisp contact with the oil.
- When segmenting your citrus, do it over a bowl to catch the delicious juices, and add a splash of that juice into your salad dressing to naturally sweeten it.
- A light dusting of cornstarch on the fish skin absorbs microscopic surface moisture, yielding a delicate, glass-like crunch that withstands plating.
- For the cleanest presentation, always pour sauces under or around crispy-skinned proteins, never over the top, which immediately turns the hard-earned crispness soggy.
Storage
Refrigerator: 24 hours — Store the fish, sauce, and salad in separate airtight containers. The crispy skin will soften.
Reheating: Reheat the fish gently in a skillet over medium heat. Warm the sauce in a saucepan. Serve salad cold.
Troubleshooting
Fish skin sticks to the pan and tears when flipping.
Cause: The pan was not hot enough before adding the fish, or the fish was moved too early.
Fix: Carefully wiggle a flexible, thin metal spatula under the skin to cleanly separate it from the pan. If the skin is lost, serve flesh-side up.
Prevention: Allow the oil to shimmer and almost smoke before adding the fish. Do not attempt to move the fish until it naturally releases from the pan.
Sweet and sour sauce is too runny.
Cause: Cornstarch slurry was not fully integrated or did not reach boiling temperature to activate.
Fix: Return to a boil and stir in a tiny bit more cornstarch mixed with an equal part of cold water until thickened.
Prevention: Ensure the slurry is mixed well just before adding, and allow the sauce to boil for at least 1 minute after adding.
Cultural Context
This dish bridges the vibrant, fruit-forward acidity of Mediterranean cuisine with the rich, caramelized complexity of classic Chinese sweet and sour profiles. The pairing elevates the delicate, mild nature of sea bass without overpowering it, relying on contrasting textures and bright aromatics to create a cohesive fusion plate.
