Sautéed Black Sea Bass With Capers and Herb-Butter Sauce

There’s nothing better than a simple dish that packs in a whole lot of flavor. That’s the perfect way to describe this sautéed black sea bass recipe. It’s easy to make, uses simple, wholesome ingredients, and is prepared in one skillet—what more can you ask for in a dinner recipe?

Black sea bass is a mildly flavored white fish with thin skin and delicate, flaky flesh. It’s the perfect fish for sautéing for a handful of reasons. First, it cooks in just a few minutes. The fillets are relatively thin, so it doesn’t take long for the fish to cook through. Second, its mild flavor makes it incredibly versatile. You can serve sea bass with a simple squeeze of lemon juice or add bold flavors like curry paste or chiles. Lastly, sea bass has a thin skin that crisps up to perfection. Even if you’re partial to skinless fillets, this recipe will change your mind. 

We pair the black bass fillets with a vibrant butter sauce flavored with capers, vermouth, and a handful of tender green herbs. Serve it with your favorite side dish and dinner will be ready in no time.

Using Other Fish for This Recipe

We love this dish because the fish cooks quickly and gets a super crispy skin. To achieve this, you have to choose the right kind of fish. Our recipe utilizes black sea bass, which fits the bill. If you want to use a different type of fish, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Light and fresh flavor: Choose fish fillets that have a fresh, mild flavor. Most white fish fillets fall into this category, so you have a lot of options! Just stay away from fish with strong flavors that could overpower the flavors of the dish, such as salmon or tuna. 
• Tender but firm texture: White fish vary widely in terms of texture. For instance, tilapia and trout are quite delicate; on the other hand, fish like cod and swordfish tend to have a much meatier and firmer texture. Black sea bass is a great compromise—it's tender but can hold up to a quick sizzle in the pan. 
• Moderate thickness: Fish like cod and halibut are too thick for this recipe. Since the fish cook completely on the stovetop, look for fillets that are no more than 1-inch thick. 

Black sea bass tends to be a bit more expensive compared to many other white fish fillets. Luckily, this recipe works with other flaky white fish with thin skin. Instead of sea bass, you can try using trout, snapper, flounder, or branzino.

Choosing Fresh Fish

Whether you're at the fish counter of your local supermarket, a specialty fishmonger, or picking up fish from a vendor at the farmers' market, there are two things you want to pay attention to when choosing fresh fish—appearance and smell. 

• Appearance: The easiest way to identify the freshest fish fillets is by their look. Fillets should appear firm and moist. If the flesh is torn or looks like it’s started to shred, this is a sign that the fish is not fresh. 
• Smell: Fish really shouldn’t smell "fishy." When you take a whiff, there can be a faint fishy odor, but for the most part, the fillets should smell like the ocean’s salt water.

What Is Instant Flour?

You’ve probably seen bottles of Wondra on the supermarket shelves. Wondra is a kind of instant flour—a low-protein flour that is pre-cooked and dried out. It has a superfine granular texture, so it incorporates into things quite effortlessly—that’s why it is often used to thicken gravy, soup, and stew much of the time. 

It’s also perfect to use as a light breading for meat and fish. If a recipe instructs you to coat beef cubes in flour or cornstarch when making stew, instant flour is an even better alternative. Since the flour is so finely ground, it creates an incredibly light and crisp crust. 

We use it to crisp up the skins of the fish fillets in this recipe. The instant flour soaks up the oil and makes the fish skin deliciously crispy.