# Sea Bass



## BBQ Mikey (Jul 8, 2007)

So the other day I went out to eat with some friends, and a friend of mine and myself split a few dishes, the main course was Sea Bass served on spinach. It was pan-seared in the way one would do scallops, and had some type of sweet soy sauce to it, pot sticker or perhaps something more acute. 

Anyway, it was delicious, unlike any fish I've ever tasted. To me it was reminiscent of scallops but far more delicate and delicious.

It was an EXPENSIVE dish, over the 25$/plate mark. I want to start making it for myself on special occassion (once every month or two) but I havent seen it in any grocers here (Philadephia Suburbs). 

Anyone have any advice on where or when to find/how to prepare, and what a reasonable price is. TIA!


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## Marcus (Jul 8, 2007)

Spinach you say?  If I made that recipe, I would do without it.  I like it by itself with butter and salt, almost like Popeye, who has it plain out of a can.


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## BBQ Mikey (Jul 8, 2007)

yeah me too, it was just something to make it look nice, like the fish was served on top of spinach leaves for presentation mainly.  i dunno it was a upper scale chinese place.


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## jpmcgrew (Jul 8, 2007)

Its hard to find as it is being over fished so there are limits on fishing.The USA is allowed a total of 20% of the total limit so it must be certified legal therefor really expensive.Its real name is a (Catagonian?)Tooth Fish caught in the deep cold waters off of Chili it takes many,many years for these fish to reach maturity.I know there are several varieties of fish that are very similiar just cant think of which ones right now.I love,love ,love sea bass so meaty,mild and delicious.MMMMMM!


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## BBQ Mikey (Jul 8, 2007)

jpmcgrew said:
			
		

> Its hard to find as it is being over fished so there are limits on fishing.The USA is allowed a total of 20% of the total limit so it must be certified legal therefor really expensive.Its real name is a (Catagonian?)Tooth Fish caught in the deep cold waters off of Chili it takes many,many years for these fish to reach maturity.I know there are several varieties of fish that are very similiar just cant think of which ones right now.I love,love ,love sea bass so meaty,mild and delicious.MMMMMM!


 
Well thanks for the info pal.  I must say it was something else, my friend knows alot about food and suggested we order it because its something "you don't really get a chance to eat very much at all"  and I didnt understand why at the time.


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## jpmcgrew (Jul 8, 2007)

Some places offer sea bass which is not the real Chilean Sea Bass but some other variety.I just had some fresh Halibut at the ranch that was very very close to sea bass.I just rememered its not Catagonian but Patagonian.OOPs?


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## keltin (Jul 9, 2007)

The odd thing is, there is more than one fish that sports the name of “Sea Bass”.

Pacific Ocean: Giant Sea Bass

Atlantic Ocean: Black Sea Bass

Southern Ocean (Antarctica): Chilean Sea Bass


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## jennyema (Jul 9, 2007)

keltin said:
			
		

> The odd thing is, there is more than one fish that sports the name of “Sea Bass”.
> 
> Atlantic Ocean: Giant Sea Bass
> 
> ...


 

Yes there are different types of "sea bass."

What you probably had was black sea bass which is pretty common in restaurants and fish markets and fished all along the Atlantic coast (not Pacific -- keltin's link even points to the Commonwealth of MA website).

Look for it in really good fish markets.  But recall that most types of fish have particular seasons for harvesting.

"Chilean" sea bass is really a Patagonian Toothfish.


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## keltin (Jul 9, 2007)

jennyema said:
			
		

> "Chilean" sea bass is really a Patagonian Toothfish.


 
What a name that is....toothfish. The more you say it, the odder it seems.  

I imagined it MUST be an ugly fish........YESSIR it is!  

Toothfish.

Scroll down to the bottom of that page that is linked to see the picture. You might want to scroll slowly as the image suddenly popping up on your monitor might be a bit startling!  

Hard to believe something so ugly can taste good! A true case of not judging a book by its cover.
 
Edited to add: 
Whoops, I just noticed my original post swapped the locations for the black sea bass and the giant sea bass. It’s fixed now.


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## ironchef (Jul 9, 2007)

You can prepare and/or substitute sea bass in pretty much any recipe that uses halibut, snapper, or cod.


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## CharlieD (Jul 9, 2007)

Hm, starnge. Here in MN where you do not see much of any fish, the sea bass is available in regular groccery store. i love it. If prpered proparly it is delicioso.


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## BBQ Mikey (Jul 25, 2007)

Well I finally found some in a grocery store slightly further away.

Its frozen and is priced at 25.99 lb. They have them in "steaks" all priced at 9.99 and they look pretty good.

I was thinking of pan searing and serving it with a lemony concoction on Friday. 

Heres my recipe I plan to use (i just made it up) if something is glaringly wrong with my method please tell.

*Pan Seared Zesty Lemon SeaBass*

*Take SeaBass out of freezer, run under cool water approx 20 minutes or until thawed.*

*Prepare skillet with 1 tbsp. cooking oil. Bring to simmer. *
*Season Sea Bass Cuts with salt, paprika, lemon zest and pepper.*
*Sear both sides until slightly brown.*
*Set oven temp. to 250 (home oven), cook for approx. 5 minutes.*
*Garnish with Lemon Grass, add a dash of lemon juice, serve ontop of Fresh Spring Mix Salad (lightly tossed in raspberry vinagerette.*


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## ironchef (Jul 25, 2007)

BBQ Mikey said:
			
		

> Well I finally found some in a grocery store slightly further away.
> 
> Its frozen and is priced at 25.99 lb. They have them in "steaks" all priced at 9.99 and they look pretty good.
> 
> ...


 
1. You need more fat. 1 Tbsp. is not enough to get a good sear on the fish, especially in this instance. Use at least 3-4 Tbsp. for a standard 12" saute pan, and when the oil starts to smoke, add the fish. Do not move the fish once you add it to the pan. It will release on it's own when it's ready.

2. You may as well finish cooking the fish on the burner if you're going to set your oven temp. for that low. Set your oven for 400 F if you're planning on finishing it in the oven. Sea bass cooks fairly quickly so once you get your oil hot and smoking and add the fish to the pan, you can then turn your heat down and cook it without having to transfer the fish to the oven. Cook it 70% of the way on the first side and 30% on the other when you flip it. 

3. I probably wouldn't pair sea bass with raspberry vinegar. It doesn't have the body to hold up to the flavors in that particular vinaigrette. Sea bass is good paired with acid, but the acid you want to use would be citrus, capers, olives, etc. Any vinaigrette paired with sea bass needs to be light in acid or else it will totally overpower the flavor of the fish.


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## BBQ Mikey (Jul 25, 2007)

Good stuff IC per usual. I honestly dont know what to do with the salad but I think a spring mix would be good paired with the sea bass. Perhaps I can find a really light citrus vinegarette or perhaps cast aside any formal dressing and just add a few dashes of lime juice instead.

As for cooking, I was browsing through some recipes and many called for a pan sear finished in the oven. I just want to make sure its cooked properly and not overdone, and since none had an oven temp I was pretty much guessing what a good temp was as not to overdo the fish. I suppose I will cook the fish in a similar manner that I do scallops, I had Sea Bass again recently and it was pulled off the skillet prematurely and suffered in presentation, it was alittle choppy to say the least.

thanks for the gracious input, i am fairly new to "real" cooking, being a young buck, so I will take heed to any and all advice more experience chefs have to offer.


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## ironchef (Jul 25, 2007)

Here's a basic one from my culinary schools days that is close to the flavor you're looking for with the lemon. LOL I remember doing this dish at the school's restaurant.

*Pan Seared Sea Bass with Lemon-Caper Sauce*

Yield: 4 servings

4 ea., 7 oz. sea bass fillets
Kosher Salt
White Pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 tablespoons butter
12 oz. Assorted vegetables: baby carrots, turnips, asparagus, baby zucchini, baby summer squash, etc.; blanched in salted water
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup chopped lemon sections and juice (no rind just pulp)
parsley
chives
tarragon
2 tablespoons capers 


1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F. 
2. Sauté vegetables with 3 tbsp. butter over medium-high heat until just soft but still al dente. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Season fillets with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter and sear fillets over high heat until golden brown, skin side down first, about 2 minutes on first side and 1 minute on second. Transfer to a sheet pan and cook in oven until fish is cooked through. Add shallots to pan and cook until translucent. Deglaze with wine, lemon juice, and lemon segments and reduce by half. Add remaining butter, parsley, chives tarragon, and capers. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
4. Plate rice pilaf with mold. Place vegetables next to pilaf and fish slightly on the veg. Sauce on top of fish and around plate.


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## Mahco (Jul 25, 2007)

According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium seafood watch sea bass should be avoided at all costs,I am suprised that any reputable Chef is still serving it.


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## ironchef (Jul 25, 2007)

Mahco said:
			
		

> According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium seafood watch sea bass should be avoided at all costs,I am suprised that any reputable Chef is still serving it.


 
Not all sea bass needs to be avoided. Even the same species of sea bass(or ANY other type of seafood) can be fine depending on WHERE and HOW it was caught. For example: salmon. Farmed salmon is on their "avoid" list while Alaskan wild salmon is on their "best choice" list. Or halibut. Atlantic halibut = avoid, Pacific halibut = best choice. By your logic, all salmon and halibut should be avoided since part of the species is on the seafood watch "avoid" list. 

Get your facts straight before you start posting misinformation.


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## Mahco (Jul 25, 2007)

I do have my facts straight,do you?


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## ironchef (Jul 25, 2007)

Why don't you actually read their charts. I'll make it easy for you. Just type in "sea bass" in the search window:

Monterey Bay Aquarium: Seafood Watch Program Search Page


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## Soup Lover (Jul 25, 2007)

Chilean sea bass is just incredibly delicious--and I have had to give it up because of the overfishing and honoring the boycott of it. BUT there are quotas and if you buy it in very reputable stores such as Whole Foods, they will certify that it has been harvested under the quota system.  It will be VERY pricey--maybe $25/lb. I have had other types of bass at restaurants and they can also be very tasty.
I did the same with swordfish when it was asked to boycott it in restaurants. I think it has been removed from the "endangered" or "pressured" list now.


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## BreezyCooking (Jul 25, 2007)

"Chilean Sea Bass" is actually "Patagonian Toothfish", & due to the efforts of chefs all over the country, has been highly overfished & is highly overrated.

Any recipe calling for "Chilean Sea Bass" (which, by the way, is just a marketing name, since the cooking "powers that be" decided that the name "Patagonian Toothfish" wasn't marketable), can be used & will still be absolutely delicious with cod, halibut, or any snappers not on the endangered list.

Insisting on "Chiliean Sea Bass" (which isn't Chilean & isn't a Bass anyway - lol), is ridiculous.


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## jpmcgrew (Jul 25, 2007)

When I have made Sea Bass if it was the true Tooth Fish I make it with a Lemon Leek Cream its so,so good.


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## drumstick (Oct 14, 2007)

Hi Everyone!

The Council Oak restaurant in the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, FL offers Chiliean Sea Bass on their menu.
It is out of this world!  

How would someone go about getting their recipe to make it at home?

Thanks for your help!

~ drumstick


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## BBQ Mikey (Oct 14, 2007)

I would find out exactly how it is described in the menu, like if its "Rockin Sea Bass" or whatever, find the exact name of the entree, and then search for that and add "copycat recipe" in google or another search engine.  I havent been to hard rock in a while but Im sure it was excellent.


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## BBQ Mikey (Oct 14, 2007)

PF Chiangs has an excellent Toothfish in our menu "Oolong SeaBass",  it has a sweet ginger soy glaze and served on a bed of spinach.  If cooked properly it is melt in your mouth perfection.


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## PytnPlace (Oct 14, 2007)

I've never made Sea Bass at home but I do have it out once or twice a year.  It is divine!!  I've seen it frozen at Costco but I'm a little leary about trying it.  My experiences with frozen fish have been less then stellar and I'd rather not spend that kind of $ on an experiment.  I'll wait until my kids college expenses are paid off!


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## drumstick (Oct 14, 2007)

Thank you and yes I did buy some fish from Costco. It was great but nothing like the seabass recipe at Council Oak! ha!

I googled it as suggested by BBQ Mikey and stumbled into a fish education.

According to environet, it was not politically correct for me to ask for a chilean seabass recipe and I apologize to anyone who I might have offended by my ignorance about the subject, but I would still like the recipe to use for a different fish.

thanks for helping ~ drumstick


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## BreezyCooking (Oct 14, 2007)

No apologies necessary.  However, keep in mind that any recipes for "Chilean Sea Bass" (aka "Patagonian Toothfish") are also easily applied to any thick white fish filet. 

Many overzealous & ignorant restaurants still serve "Chilean Sea Bass", but it's sadly been *severely* overfished, so just as many educated restaurants & markets refuse to carry it unless/until it becomes more sustainable.

I personally refuse to order it in a restaurant or buy it at market until I see reports that it's making a sustainable comeback, & I applaud & continue to patronize restaurants & markets that feel the same way.


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## BBQ Mikey (Oct 14, 2007)

Get real people. According to bbc.com there is only 50 more years left for natural seafish, so my opinion is eat em while you still can. Its the environmental factor moreso than overfishing that is de-populating ocean life. Think about that the next time youre filling up gas or whatnot. It has to do with pollution, global warming, and human influence. Yes they are overfished...However in the US there are regulated levels of how many can enter the country, so not eating them is fine if you wish, but it has no impact on the market other than the price. Supply is constant, its other countries moreso than the United States causing the overfishing problem.


On the other hand, you can still find regular bass, but its probably different than the fish youre looking for. I suggest halibut for a substitute.


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## BreezyCooking (Oct 14, 2007)

Oh good grief BBQ Mikey.  Get real & wake up yourself.  BBC.com isn't exactly the voice of the world.

If you want the real story, do a little more research & you'll find that overfishing of "Chilean Sea Bass", aka "Patagonian Toothfish" is the definite lead to its decline.  It's a very deep-water species that isn't terribly succeptible to the environmental concerns that affect other fish.  The high demand for its pristine sweet white flesh in restaurants & markets is what's killing it.  Deep-water large-species fish don't reproduce as easily or quickly as other species, which doesn't help the situation either.


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## BBQ Mikey (Oct 14, 2007)

I trust the BBC more than any other news source. As far as reproduction, there are regulations that have been set for a reason, its not like they just regulate it to regulate it. The black market is really what kills it, coupled with environmental factors. I really cant see legal fishing being the problem,  since the fishing industry is 1/3 of what it was 10 years ago and due to the decline of ocean life, laws, restrictions, odd weather patterns and illegal poaching, many cannot make a living on the sea.  

Furthermore Ive seen 8 "seabass" ordered at a time for some tables. One fish is nothing to be ashamed about. Ordering 8 may be another story. I would not feel ashamed about buying one at all. If and when I do order it I normally split one with my date. Rarely do I even eat the fish, but it is delicious.

And even if 8 12 oz.chilean seabass were ordered at an American restraunt for 25$ a plate, that is nothing compared to the 32 or more being ordered at the same time on the black market for about 1$ per plate, since poachers are thought to take more than four times the amount of toothfish caught legally, and sell it for 30-35$ per kilogram. 

My point is, its the environmental decline of the natural habitat of the fish and illegal fishing that really is endangering the Patagonian Toothfish. Its realy not legal fishing. End of story. And if all the "shallow water" fish die off, this would probably kill off the deep water fish, since there is a foodchain and all. So the assumption that because the fish lives in "deep water" it will be unaffected by a sudden drop in "more shallow dwelling" fish doesnt even make sense to me, bottom line is that humans are killing off just about every living thing. 99.9 percent of all life that has ever existed is now extinct, and that is a fact. So if you think that not ordering a Patagonian Toothfish at an American resteraunt is going to change something, you need a reality check.

If you really want to change the situation, or find the real "bad guy" instead of taking it out on me, what you should do is join the Australian Coast Guard unit that deals with poachers and try to take some of them down and ensure the breeding ground of the Patagonian Toothfish remains undisturbed from human intrusion. Leave honest law abiding citizens and establishments out of it.


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