The sauce has a silky-smooth texture that goes beautifully with the crispy-skinned sea bass. Thin green beans and new potatoes tossed with butter make the ideal accompaniments.
Serves 4
Special equipment
Ridged cast-iron grill pan
4 sea bass fillets, each about 31⁄2 oz (100 g)
olive oil, for brushing
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Sauce
4 tbsp (50 g) butter
2⁄3 cup (150 ml) light cream
juice and finely grated zest of 1⁄2 lemon
1 egg yolk
1 tsp plain flour
ground white pepper
2 tsp finely snipped fresh chives
1. Make the sauce: melt the butter in a small pan. Remove it from the heat, then whisk in the cream, lemon juice, egg yolk, and flour until well mixed (see Smooth, creamy sauce). Stir in the lemon zest. Return the pan to low heat and stir continuously until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Season with salt and white pepper. Set aside.
2. Preheat the grill pan over high heat for about 5–10 minutes. Meanwhile, pat the fillets dry with paper towels and score the skin (see Crispy golden skin, step 1). Brush both sides of the fillets with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
3. Reduce the heat to medium–high and lay the fillets in the hot pan, skin-side down (see Crispy golden skin, step 2). Cook for 3–4 minutes until the skin is lightly charred and crisp. Carefully turn the fillets over using a fish slice, then grill for another 1–2 minutes on the other side. You will probably need to cook the fish in batches.
4. Warm the sauce through briefly over very low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the chives. To serve, lay the fish on warmed plates, with the skin-side facing up, and spoon some of the sauce over the top. Pour the rest of the sauce into a jug and serve separately.
SEA BASS WITH CREAMY LEMON SAUCE
KEYS TO PERFECTION
Smooth, creamy sauce
Sprinkle the flour into the sauce and whisk vigorously with a wire whisk as it goes in, so no lumps can form. Heat the sauce very gently, because the egg yolk and cream will curdle if they’re overheated.
Crispy golden skin
1 Using a sharp knife, score the fish skin by making 4 or 5 cuts to the point where you can see the flesh. Scoring the fillets helps to keep them flat in the pan, ensuring they don’t curl up as they cook.
2 The pan must be very hot when you add the fillets, so that they can sear properly. Don’t move the fish as it cooks, as it may break up and you’ll lose the attractive charred pattern from the pan’s ridges.