Gone fishin' for... Chilean Sea Bass

I discovered Chilean sea bass a couple of years ago when I was doing some catering around lower Fairfield County, Connecticut. With its high fat content, Chilean sea bass is well suited to dry-heat cooking methods such as broiling, grilling, and sautéing. One variation I use a lot is searing -- cooking thick cut filets in a hot cast-iron skillet to crust the exterior and then finishing them in a hot oven, where they cook by radiant heat as well as conducted heat from the skillet.

Below is one of my most requested recipes for Chilean sea bass. It has a marvelous Ponzu Sauce which has a distinctive sweet, sour, slightly salty flavor that complements this dish too perfection.


Chilean Sea Bass with Ponzu Sauce

Ingredients:
6 six-ounce Chilean sea bass filets
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Ponzu Sauce
½ cup Ponzu*
½ cup light soy sauce
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
¼ cup sesame oil
¼ cup Mirin Japanese Wine*
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 bunches scallions, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Rub the sea bass filets with the mixture of oil & lemon juice. In a preheated, large lightly oiled iron skillet, sear the filets on each side for about two minutes. Place the skillet in the oven and bake filets for 10 minutes or until done. Baste with sauce and cook 5 minutes more.

Serve on a bed of wilted spinach with the Ponzu Sauce ladled over.

To make Ponzu Sauce:
In a large metal bowl, combine Ponzu, light soy sauce, lemon and orange juices, sesame oil and mirin. Whisk to blend well. Stir in scallions and ginger.
Pour sauce into a saucepan and slowly heat until warm through.

*Available at Japanese markets, specialty foods stores and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.