Pan-Seared Sea Bass with Chimichurri and Charred Corn in One Skillet

Sea bass skin hitting hot butter sounds like a restaurant kitchen, yet it comes together in one skillet at home. Sweet corn blisters beside the fish while garlic butter bubbles, and a spoonful of bright green chimichurri ties everything together in minutes.

This dish brings together pan-seared sea bass, a fresh chimichurri built from parsley, cilantro, red chili and garlic, and sweet corn charred in the same skillet.

The method is simple: you start the herb sauce while the corn is prepared, then cook the fish skin-side down in foaming garlic butter, basting it until the skin turns crisp and golden and the flesh is opaque.

The corn sits right under the fillets, soaking up the butter and caramelizing at the edges, so the whole plate cooks in one pan and nothing needs to be kept warm. It works as a weeknight dinner, and it looks like a dish you would order at a seafood restaurant. Keep the ingredients small and fresh, and let the skillet do most of the work.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

Searing skin-side down in a hot pan gives the fish a crisp, golden surface while the flesh cooks gently underneath. Basting with foaming garlic butter pushes heat over the top of the fillet, so the thin upper edges turn opaque at the same pace as the lower part. The fish stays moist, and the skin stays crisp instead of soggy.

Adding the corn to the pan before the butter lets the kernels sit in direct contact with the hot iron. The sugars in the corn caramelize at the edges, which gives a sweet, toasty contrast to the rich butter and the sharp chimichurri. Because the corn cooks alongside the fish, the two finish together and no separate pan is needed.

Notes and substitutions

Sea bass is the star of this recipe because its skin crisps well and its flesh is mild and flaky. Buy fillets of similar thickness so they cook evenly, and ask the fishmonger to leave the skin on.

Pat the skin dry before seasoning, because moisture is the main obstacle to a crisp result. A cast iron skillet holds heat steadily, which is why it is the best tool here; a heavy stainless steel pan works too.

The chimichurri is made with a wooden board, a chef's knife and a box grater, with no food processor needed. Chopping the herbs by hand keeps the texture coarse and fresh rather than pasty.

Fresh corn is best, cut straight from the cob, but thawed frozen corn can be used if it is patted dry first. Use metal tongs to flip the fillets, and a spoon for basting. Substitute branzino, snapper or cod if sea bass is not available, and adjust the cooking time to the thickness of the fillets.

• sea bass: branzino, snapper or cod fillets with skin; cook a little less time if the fillets are thinner
• fresh cilantro: extra parsley, or leave the cilantro out for a more classic chimichurri
• red wine vinegar: sherry vinegar or fresh lime juice for a brighter finish

Equipment

• 12-inch cast iron skillet
• Wooden cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Box grater
• Metal tongs
• Spoon for basting