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Gegrillter Wolfsbarsch mit knuspriger goldbrauner Haut auf karamellisiertem Fenchelconfit, umgeben von Zitronenbutter-Sauce, daneben ein elegantes Weißweinglas mit hellgoldenem Viognier, frisches Fenchelgrün und Zitronenscheibe als Dekoration

Grilled Sea Bass with Fennel Confit & Lemon Butter

New Zealand wine for early summer: Crispy grilled sea bass on gently poached fennel confit with foamy lemon butter—paired with the elegant Sea Viognier from Elephant Hill in Hawke's Bay. Two coasts, one table.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Fish dish, Mediterranean cuisine
Cuisine International
Servings 2 people
Calories 540 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Grill pan or grill
  • 1 A wide, heavy skillet with a lid (for the fennel confit)
  • 1 Small pot for the lemon butter
  • 1 Cutting board and sharp knife
  • 1 Brush for oiling

Ingredients
  

FOR SEA BASS:

  • 2 Sea bass fillets about 200 g each, with skin
  • 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
  • sea salt white pepper
  • 4 lemon slices to share

FOR THE FENNEL CONFIT:

  • 2 Fennel bulbs geputzt, in ca. 5 mm dicke Scheiben geschnitten (Grün aufbewahren)
  • 3 Tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove lightly pressed, unpeeled
  • 1 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • Zest and juice from ½ orange
  • 1 A sprig of fresh thyme
  • 50 ml dry white wine
  • sea salt white pepper
  • FOR THE LEMON BUTTER:
  • 80 g cold butter diced
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • 2 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 shallot finely chopped
  • 1 1 tbsp fresh parsley or chervil finely chopped
  • sea salt white pepper

Instructions
 

FOR THE FENNEL CONFIT (start about 30–35 minutes before serving):

  • Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the garlic and fennel seeds and sauté briefly until they become fragrant.
  • Arrange the fennel slices side by side.
  • Add the white wine, orange juice, orange zest, and thyme.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Cover and gently confit over very low heat for 25–30 minutes, until the fennel is tender, lightly caramelized, and translucent.
  • Remove the lid and let the liquid reduce briefly over medium heat until the fennel is slightly glossy.
  • Knoblauch und Thymian entfernen, warm halten.

FOR THE LEMON BUTTER:

  • Bring the shallot, white wine, and lemon juice to a boil in a small saucepan and reduce to about 2 tablespoons.
  • Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cold butter cubes—the sauce should be creamy and glossy, not boiling.
  • Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
  • Stir in the parsley or chervil.
  • Keep warm—do not boil again.

FOR SEA BASS:

  • Pat the fish fillets dry and lightly score the skin side three times with a sharp knife—this prevents them from curling up while grilling.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat a grill pan or grill to high heat and brush lightly with olive oil.
  • Place the fish skin-side down.
  • Grill for 4–5 minutes without turning, until the skin is golden brown and crispy and the fish is almost cooked through on the bottom.
  • Grill the lemon slices alongside the meat.
  • Turn the fish over and cook for another 1–2 minutes—the center should still be slightly translucent.

SERVE:

  • Divide the fennel confit between two preheated plates.
  • Place the sea bass fillet on top, skin side up.
  • Drizzle the lemon butter generously over the fish.
  • Place a grilled lemon slice and some fresh fennel greens next to it.
  • Serve the Sea Viognier at 10–11 °C.

SIDE DISHES:

  • Toasted baguette for dipping in the lemon butter
  • A small tomato and herb salad as a light appetizer

Nutrition

Calories: 540kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 38gFat: 36g
Keyword A gourmet fish recipe, Elephant Hill, Fennel Confit, Grilled fish, Hawke’s Bay, Lemon butter, Sea bass, Summer dish, Viognier, Wine from New Zealand
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