Baked Sea Bass with Aromatics

Pearlescent sea bass flesh that flakes easily, resting on a bed of melting onions and juicy tomatoes. The white wine reduction adds a sharp acidity that highlights the fish's natural flavour.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 486
• Protein: 59 g
• Carbs: 8 g
• Fat: 24 g

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg European sea bass ( whole, gutted and scaled )
• 2 piece Yellow onion ( sliced )
• 3 piece Vine tomato ( sliced )
• 1 piece Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ( sliced )
• 3 piece Garlic ( cloves crushed )
• 150 ml Dry white wine
• 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 30 g Minimum butter sweet ( cold, diced )
• 3 piece Thyme ( sprigs )
• 2 piece Bay leaf
• 2 pinch Fleur de sel
• 1 tsp Black peppercorns

Instructions

1. Preparing the vegetable bed

   Slice the yellow onions and cut the tomatoes into thick rounds. Line the bottom of a baking dish with these vegetables to create a natural heat insulator that will protect the fish flesh.

2. Seasoning the fish

   Make three slashes on each side of the sea bass. Season the inside generously with fleur de sel. Slide a lemon slice and a crushed garlic clove into the belly cavity.

3. Adding liquids and herbs

   Place the fish on the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and dry white wine. Scatter thyme, bay leaves, and black peppercorns in the dish. The liquid should reach halfway up the vegetables.

4. Baking and finishing

   Bake at 200°C. Baste the fish every 10 minutes with the cooking juices. At the end, whisk in cold butter cubes into the sauce to emulsify it and make it glossy.

Chef's tips

• The fish is cooked when the eye turns opaque white and the skin peels away without resistance.
• Baste regularly: this is the secret to a flesh that doesn't dry out in the oven.

Storage

Keep for 24 hours in the fridge. Reheat gently covered with a splash of water to avoid drying out the flesh.