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)
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.
