Equipment
Ingredients
sea bass
- 4 sea bass fillets
- 30 ml olive oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 60 ml dry white wine
- 2 g salt, to taste
- 1 g black pepper, to taste
rocket sauce
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 zucchini, finely chopped
- 3 anchovy fillets
- 15 ml olive oil
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 30 g arugula, roughly chopped
- 300 ml vegetable stock
- 1 g black pepper, to taste
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 339 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 736 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 77 mg
- Potassium
- 531 mg
- Calcium
- 53 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 68 mg
- Phosphorus
- 276 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 173 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin D
- 6.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 19 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.18 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.19 mg
- Niacin
- 3.0 mg
- Folate
- 29 mcg
- Water
- 237 g
- Alcohol
- 2 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat 15ml olive oil and 15g butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Add the anchovy fillets to the pan and stir until they have completely dissolved into the fat.
Add the chopped shallots and zucchini to the pan and cook until the shallots are soft and translucent.
Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil for one minute.
Stir in the chopped arugula, season with black pepper, and simmer for two minutes.
Remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool for five minutes before transferring to a blender.
Blend the sauce until it reaches a completely smooth consistency.
Return the blended sauce to the pan and boil over high heat, stirring constantly, until reduced to a creamy consistency.
Season the sea bass fillets on both sides with salt and black pepper.
Heat 30ml olive oil and 30g butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until the butter foams.
Place the sea bass fillets flesh-side down in the pan, reduce heat to moderate, and cook for 3 minutes until golden brown.
Flip the fillets and cook skin-side down for 3 minutes.
Turn the fillets over once more and carefully peel away the skin from the fish.
Add the white wine to the pan, cover immediately with a lid, and steam for 10 seconds.
Uncover the pan, flip the fillets, replace the lid, and cook until the wine has fully evaporated and the internal temperature reaches 63°C/145°F.
Reheat the rocket sauce gently and serve it over the sea bass fillets.
Chef's Notes
- For the best sea bass flavor, ensure your fillets are fresh and have clear, bright eyes. Look for firm flesh that springs back when gently pressed.
- When making the sauce, don't overcook the arugula. It should retain its vibrant green color and a slight peppery bite, which will mellow upon blending and simmering.
- Achieving a crispy skin on the sea bass is key. Make sure the pan is hot enough before adding the fish, and resist the urge to move it around too much during the initial searing.
- The anchovy fillets are crucial for adding umami depth to the sauce without making it taste fishy. Ensure they completely dissolve to integrate their flavor seamlessly.
- When reducing the sauce, watch it closely. It should thicken to a creamy consistency that coats the back of a spoon, but avoid over-reduction, which can make it too dense or bitter.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store fish and sauce in separate airtight containers.
Reheating: Reheat sauce gently in a pan over low heat; warm fish briefly in a 150°C (300°F) oven to avoid overcooking.
Troubleshooting
The rocket sauce is too thin or watery.
Cause: The sauce was not reduced sufficiently after blending.
Fix: Continue to simmer the sauce over medium-high heat until the desired thickness is achieved.
Prevention: Ensure the stock boils vigorously and the final reduction step is performed over high heat while stirring.
The fish fillets are dry or rubbery.
Cause: The fish was overcooked during the final steaming phase.
Fix: Cannot be fixed; serve with extra sauce to provide moisture.
Prevention: Use an instant-read thermometer to pull the fish at exactly 63°C/145°F.
Cultural Context
This dish draws inspiration from Mediterranean coastal cuisines, where fresh seafood is a staple. The use of arugula (rocket) in a sauce adds a peppery, slightly bitter note characteristic of Italian and Greek culinary traditions. It's a modern take on simple, elegant preparations of fish, often served as a light yet satisfying main course.
