Chimichurri Sea Bass with Garlic Butter Corn in One Skillet

Crisp sea bass, charred sweet corn and a bright herb chimichurri come together in one cast iron skillet. The fish is ready in about 20 minutes, so this is a dinner that feels special without a long evening at the stove. Everything is cooked in a single pan and served straight from it.

This is a one-pan dinner built on contrast. Sea bass has a mild, buttery flesh and a thin skin that turns crisp in hot fat, and it pairs well with sweet corn, garlic and fresh herbs. The chimichurri adds a sharp, green lift, the grated hard cheese adds salty depth, and the garlic butter in the pan ties the components together.

You start by making the chimichurri and grating the cheese, then cook the corn in foaming butter, and finish the fish on top of it. Plan on about 20 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, and have every ingredient measured before the skillet goes on the heat.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

Cooking the sea bass skin side down in garlic butter is the key step. The fat conducts heat evenly and crisps the skin, while the flesh cooks gently from underneath until it turns opaque and flakes.

Spooning the bubbling butter over the top keeps the surface moist, so the fillet stays tender even as the edges turn golden. Flipping only once, when the flesh is nearly set, prevents the fish from breaking apart.

Charring the corn before the fish goes in gives the dish its sweet, smoky backbone. The kernels cook in foaming butter until they pick up light brown spots, which concentrates their sugars and adds a toasted flavor that raw or steamed corn cannot match.

Because the corn is cooked first, it stays warm and holds its texture while the fish finishes, and the same pan butter that flavored the corn becomes the sauce that coats the plate.

Notes and substitutions

Choose sea bass fillets of similar thickness so they cook at the same rate. Skin-on fillets give the best crisp texture, and a 12-inch cast iron skillet holds enough heat to char the corn and sear two fillets at once without crowding. Pat the fish dry before seasoning, because surface moisture prevents the skin from crisping.

The chimichurri is a fresh, uncooked sauce, so chop the herbs and chili as finely as you can and combine them with oil and vinegar just before serving. Keep the red chili seeded if you want a milder sauce.

If you cannot find sea bass, a firm white fish such as snapper or cod works well in the same method. Use a box grater's fine side for the hard cheese so it melts quickly over the warm fish.

• sea bass: any firm white fish fillet of similar thickness, such as snapper or cod, cooked skin side down until the flesh turns opaque
• hard cheese: aged Pecorino Romano or aged cheddar, grated just before serving
• fresh corn: 1 cup thawed frozen corn kernels, patted dry before charring

Equipment

• 12-inch cast iron skillet
• Chef's knife
• Wooden cutting board
• Box grater
• Tongs
• Small mixing bowl