Celebrate bright days and warm nights with one of our favorite seafood dishes: Seared Chilean Seabass with Citrus Salsa and Beurre Blanc. It’s a big, elegant dinner that will wow your guests and elevate any evening. The flaky, buttery fish is heightened by the tangy, bright, and slightly sweet citrus. It’s a wonderful meal for spring evenings or summer nights with flavors that will please any guest.
What You’ll Need
For the Seabass
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4 seabass fillets (4 to 6 oz each) with skin and bones removed. Halibut will also work in a pinch.
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2 Tbsp oil
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Salt and pepper
For the Citrus Salsa
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1 large grapefruit, peeled, segmented, and diced (no pith)
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1 large blood orange, peeled, segmented, and diced
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4 to 5 kumquats, thinly sliced
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1 tsp freshly grated ginger
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2 tsp shallots, minced
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1 Tbsp chives, minced
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2 Tbsp citrus juice
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Salt and pepper to taste
For the Citrus Beurre Blanc
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2 Tbsp minced shallots
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¾ cup Stags’ Leap Winery Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
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1 Tbsp champagne vinegar
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1 stick cold butter, cubed
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1 Tbsp cream for stabilizing
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1 tsp citrus zest
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Salt and pepper to taste
How to Prepare
Start with the salsa.
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and season to taste. Set aside in the refrigerator to chill.
Next, craft the beurre blanc.
In a small saucepan, add shallots, wine, and vinegar. Simmer over medium heat and reduce to about 2 Tbsp. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in butter cubes one at a time (whisking after each addition). Keep the heat low and do not boil, as the sauce will break.
Add a bit of cream to stabilize the sauce. Turn off the heat, add zest, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust, if needed. Let sit while preparing fish.
Pat fish fillets dry. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium to high. When hot, place fillets in the pan and sear undisturbed until golden brown for about 4 to 6 minutes. They will release from the pan when ready to turn. Carefully turn, reduce the heat, and finish cooking for about 3 to 5 additional minutes.
Place the fish on a platter. Spoon the salsa over the top and pool a spoonful of beurre blanc around each fillet. Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh chives or dill.
A Pairing We Love
For an excellent dinner, we recommend pairing the Chilean Seabass with Stags’ Leap Winery’s 2023 Napa Valley Viognier. The firm, buttery texture of the seabass stands up to the Viognier’s full-bodied mouthfeel without being overpowering or distracting. Additionally, the zesty flavors of the salsa and citrus beurre blanc are a wonderful match for the wine’s notes of green apple, citron lemon, and zippy acidity.
