Pan-Seared Sea Bass with Corn and Herb Butter in One Skillet

Crisp-skinned sea bass, sweet charred corn and a bright garlic herb butter come together in one cast iron skillet. The fish is basted until its flesh turns opaque and the edges go golden, then finished with parsley, cilantro and red chili. It is a dinner that looks restaurant-worthy and needs only one pan.

This pan-seared sea bass with corn and herb butter is built around a simple idea: cook everything in the same skillet so the fish, the corn and the butter all share the flavour. You start by seasoning the fillets and cutting the kernels from a fresh cob, then mince the herbs, garlic and chili into a small pile of bright green and red.

The fish goes skin side down into butter that has been melted until it foams, and the herbs and garlic are spooned in to form a green garlic butter. Keep the butter moving and basting the fillets, and the skin crisps while the flesh cooks gently. The corn cob goes in alongside the fish and turns golden and charred, and the loose kernels are tossed in the butter at the end.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

Searing skin side down in hot fat gives the fish a crisp, golden surface while the flesh stays moist underneath. Sea bass has a thin skin that crisps quickly, so the fish is cooked from the bottom up and rarely needs to be turned. Basting with the herb butter spreads heat over the top of the fillet, which cooks the flesh evenly and carries the garlic and herb flavour into every layer.

Charring the corn in the same butter does two things at once. The kernels pick up browned, sweet notes that contrast with the mild, delicate fish, and the butter absorbs the flavour of the corn as it cooks.

Adding the herbs and garlic early in the butter lets them release their aroma gently, so the finished sauce tastes fresh rather than harsh. Finishing with fresh herbs and chili adds a bright final layer that balances the richness of the butter.

Notes and substitutions

Choose sea bass fillets of similar thickness so they cook at the same rate. Skin-on fillets are best for this method because the skin protects the flesh and turns crisp in the butter.

If sea bass is not available, branzino, snapper or cod with the skin on work well; thinner fillets need less time, so check them early. Buy fish that smells clean and sea-fresh, and keep it refrigerated until you cook it.

You need a heavy skillet that holds heat evenly, and a 12-inch cast iron skillet is ideal because it stays hot when the cold fish goes in. A wooden board, a sharp chef's knife and a box grater make the prep smooth.

Use tongs or a fish spatula to lift the fillets, and a heatproof spoon for basting. If you cannot find fresh corn, frozen kernels work well: thaw them, pat them dry, and char them in the butter, which will be a little less sweet but still delicious.

• sea bass: branzino, snapper or cod fillets of similar thickness; cook skin side down until the flesh turns opaque
• fresh corn cob: 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed and patted dry, charred in the butter
• hard cheese: Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, finely grated

Equipment

• 12-inch cast iron skillet
• wooden cutting board
• sharp chef's knife
• fish spatula or tongs
• box grater
• heatproof spoon for basting