Lemon Butter Sea Bream Recipe
I like this as a bit of a fancy date-night meal. The sauce cooks with the fish, so it all comes together quite quickly (about 10 minutes of cooking time).
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 400 g skin-on sea bream fillets This is approx 2 small fillets or 1 large fillet per person
- 1 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
- a pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp oil
Creamy lemon butter sauce:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) white wine
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) double (heavy) cream
- 2 tbsp capers
- 2 tbsp lemon juice approx. the juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp (1/4 cup) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
To serve:
- mashed potato
- steamed peas
Instructions
- Dust the flesh side of the fish fillets with the flour, salt and pepper.400 g skin-on sea bream fillets, 1 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour, a pinch of salt and pepper
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium–high heat. Add the fillets, flesh-side down, and cook for 2–3 minutes until golden brown.1 tbsp oil
- Turn the fish over, reduce the heat to medium and immediately add the butter and garlic to the pan. Stir until the butter melts, then pour in the wine. Allow the wine to bubble for 1–2 minutes until half of it has evaporated.2 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 garlic cloves, 60 ml (1/4 cup) white wine
- Add the cream, capers, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir together and heat through for 2–3 minutes, basting the fish with the liquid until the sauce is hot and the fish is cooked through.120 ml (1/2 cup) double (heavy) cream, 2 tbsp capers, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley.4 tbsp (1/4 cup) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- I like to serve this dish with buttery mashed potato and peas. The sauce sinks into the mashed potato beautifully!mashed potato, steamed peas
Video
Notes
Can I use other fish instead of sea bream?
Yes, you can swap the sea bream for other fish such as snapper or sea bass, or you could use a chunkier fish - such as salmon, cod or haddock. If you're using one of these chunky types of fish, add an extra 5–6 minutes to the cooking time to make sure it’s fully cooked through.
Can I make it ahead/ freeze it?
This dish is best served freshly cooked, so I would not recommend cooking it ahead to reheat of freeze.
Want the sea bream skin crispy?
Score the skin of the fish a few times before cooking. Add an extra tablespoon of oil to the pan and fry skin-side down first for 2–3 minutes, then turn over and cook for a further 2–3 minutes until the fish is browned and cooked through. Transfer to a warm plate – skin-side up – then continue making the sauce in the pan. Serve the sauce alongside the fish.
Nutritional information is approximate, per serving (this recipe serves 2) NOT including the serving suggestions of mashed potato and peas.
Nutrition
Calories: 619kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 825mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1925IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg
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