Chilean Sea Bass is a very mild, white fish. I was inspired to make this recipe after enjoying a similar dish while visiting Maui. The technique of searing and roasting the fish, and then serving it with my version of a pineapple sauce was not only fast and easy– it reminded me of that delicious meal we had in Hawaii. This recipe works great with Halibut, as well.
For those of you who follow me on my Facebook Fan Page, you know that my husband and I just returned from a fabulous week in Maui. Back in the day, I spent ten years as a travel agent. I have been on many vacations, all over the world. This particular return trip to Maui, thirty years later, is very high on my scale of “best vacations ever”.
We ate fish, pretty much, every single day. That’s unusual for both of us, because Craig isn’t the biggest fan of fish. The exception is fresh salmon, which we like to grill or roast. Otherwise, we both prefer fish that is very mild, and with a hint of sweetness, if possible.
In Maui, we ate a lot of Mahi-Mahi and Opah. We had one of our most memorable meals at Mama’s Fish House, in Paia. What really stood out for me, was the Pineapple-Dijon-White Wine sauce that was served with my fresh Mahi-Mahi. I did my best to clean my plate of every delectable drop of that sauce. The price of the Macadamia Encrusted baked Mahi-Mahi, stuffed with crab and topped with a tiny lobster tail was $52.00– and that doesn’t include our appetizers, cocktails and side dishes. Ouch. It was worth every penny, because it was perfectly prepared, and we had a front row view of the ocean.
Wait for about four minutes to get a golden sear. If the fish loosens easily with a spatula, turn the fish over. Then place the skillet into the preheated oven for about 10 minutes longer– to an internal temperature of 140F. Remove the fish to a plate and cover with foil.
I buy pineapple juice in the 6-pack cans (6 ounces each) at Trader Joe’s. Once the skillet is drained of any excess oil (there wasn’t much), deglaze the pan on medium-high heat with the pineapple juice, dry white wine, chicken stock and a generous teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
Remove the skillet from the heat, and whisk in about 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter. Sure, you could add heavy cream, but I think the butter gave enough of a silky finish to the sauce.
TASTING NOTES: Just as I had hoped, this Chilean Sea Bass is very mild. The fish was moist and very tender. The sauce was so simple to make, and I captured the flavor of Maui with the acidity and sweetness of the pineapple. The Dijon gave a nice savory balance to the sauce. NOTE: Halibut is another alternative that works well with this recipe.
Best of all, the dinner was very fast to make– perfect for a week night meal.
Chilean Sea Bass with a Pineapple-Dijon Pan Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 8-ounce Chilean sea bass filets (if frozen, thaw in the refrigerator for at least 8h hours, or overnight)Wild caught Halibut is a great choice, too
- Old Bay Seasoning to taste
- Olive oil I use rice oil, because it has a high smoke point
SAUCE:
- 6 ounces pineapple juice I buy a six-pack of small pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Pat the fish dry, with paper towels and lightly season with Old Bay Seasoning. (NOTE: If you can't find Old Bay Seasoning, lightly season with salt & pepper and a little paprika.)
- In an oven-proof skillet, add enough oil to lightly coat the skillet. Heat on medium-high until the oil begins to shimmer, but not smoke.
- Place the seasoned fish into the skillet and allow to sear, until lightly brown– about 4 to 5 minutes. Test that the fish is ready to be turned, when a skillet easily loosens the fish.
- Turn the fish over, then place the skillet into the preheated oven. Roast for about 7 to 9 minutes (internal temperature should be about 140°F).
- Remove the fish to a plate, and tightly cover with foil.
SAUCE:
- Drain any excess oil and return the skillet to the stove, on medium-high.
- Add the pineapple juice, and deglaze the pan by scraping any browned bits.
- Add the white wine, Dijon mustard and chicken stock and allow the liquid to reduce to about half– about 5 minutes, on medium-high.
- Remove the skillet from heat, and add the unsalted butter. Whisk until melted and smooth.
Your meal at Mama's looks very impressive and how can you beat the view from your table – that was probably $25 of the meal cost. While you may lack the view from home, I think your meal looks and sounds awefully good and I hope to try the sauce soon.
I loved all the pictures you shared, Debby! It really did look like a wonderfully beautiful vacation.
I think you hit the nail on the head with that sauce. The dijon is a good emulsifier so you can squeak by with just a bit of butter (or cream). It looks luscious! Indulgent without being too heavy.
IT all sounds pretty delicious Debby. This is the second dish this morning where fish has been paired with fruit so it seems it is in the cards.
PS I turned comments moderation back on as well, after trying several other things.
We LOVE Mama's Fish house. A must every time we go to Hawaii!
Your Chilean Sea bass looks lovely and Mama's Fish House worthy!
Beautiful golden sear on your fish! I love the flavor of chilean sea bass. It used to be on the "banned" list of sustainable seafood, but now apparently there is MSC certified sustainable fillets available.
Looks fabulous Debby! I like trying unusual sauces and am trying to put fish in 3x weekly!
mama's fish house….oh yes! Amazing place!!!
I love mustard paired with sweet flavors so the pineapple sounds perfect! thanks for sharing so much of your vacation with us!
Your photos are making my mouth water, Debby, and I haven't even finished my first cup of coffee. I don't think I've ever tried this fish, but I know I want to! It's very spendy here. Is halibut close in texture. I love that sauce and will make it soon for something. I'm so happy you had a great trip. There is something about those tropical breezes.
Love Mama's Fish House, it's a must on every trip to Maui. You seem to have done a great job of recreating the sauce. Look forward to trying this soon! Glad you had a wonderful vacation!
Awesome sauce Deb, sounds so delish!
I’m intrigued Debby, I just found this recipe on the web. Yesterday I got some nice Chilean Sea bass at The Fish Lady in Capitola, CA. This looks like a good recipe to try. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Thanks.
I do hope you had a successful meal! Thanks for stopping by.
If you wanted to add the heavy cream how much?
I would add just a “splash”… about 1 tablespoon. Taste and add more, to your personal taste.
At the 11th hour i realized i BROUGHT to my vacation home, frozen pineapple juice instead of frozen lemon juice for the chilean seabass sauce. I googled recipes with pineapple juice and i found this one. OMGosh- it turned out perfectly. Just the right amount of sweetness but also a very lightness to the sauce that we all greed to soak up the remainder with bread. Thank you for saving my dinner.
That’s a GREAT story! I’m so glad I could help save your dinner. Thank you for taking the time to give feedback.