Pan Fried Sea Bass with Pea Puree & Homemade Fish Broth

The benefits of filleting your own fish include not only ensuring that you get fresher fish but also being able to use the fish bones to make broth, achieving two purposes with one effort.

For this dish, I specifically bought a seabass from the market. After returning home, I filleted the fish into two sides and used the fish bones, along with vegetables, to make a broth, which became the base for this dish with an incredible umami flavor. For detailed instructions on filleting fish, refer to the article “How to Fillet a Fish like a Chef?” and for the method of making basil oil, check out the article “Homemade Fresh Basil Oil”.

Ingredients (serve 2)

---

Basic Ingredients

Seabass	1 Whole
Leek (Cut into sections)	1 Stick
Onion (Coarsely Chopped)	½ bulb
Ginger (Julienne)	2 Slices
Basil Oil (Method Here)	2 tbsp
Salt	1½tsp
Ground Black Pepper	to taste
Water	600ml

Green Pea Puree

Green Pea	150g
Ice Water	a bowl
Extra Virgin Olive Oil	30ml
Salt	½ tsp
Water	2-3 tbsp

Steps

---

1. Heat a pot of water and cook the green beans for 2 minutes. Then, remove the green beans and place them in ice water for 3 minutes.

2. Place the green beans in a tall container, add extra virgin olive oil, salt (and herbs, if available), and then pour in 2-3 tablespoons of the water used to soak the green beans. Blend until smooth with a blender. Pass the green bean puree through a sieve to remove any lumps.

3. Fillet the bass. For detailed instructions on how to do this, refer to the article “How to Fillet a Fish?”. Of course, you can also buy pre-filleted fish to skip the deboning step.

4. First, make the fish stock. Heat a pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and then add ginger slices and the remaining fish head and bones. Sauté until golden brown.

5. Add the onions and leeks, then pour in about 600 ml of water. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Once done, strain the stock to remove the fish bones and any solids. (Keep the onions and scallions.)

6. Cut the cooked Leeks in half horizontally. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and sauté the leeks and onions until they are slightly charred. Remove from the pan and set aside.

7. 中Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil, and place the fish skin-side down. Sear for 1-2 minutes or until the surface is golden and crispy. Then, flip the fish and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper during cooking.

8. Arrange according to your preference. I start by placing the scallions on the plate, then layering the fish fillets on top of the leeks. Next, add the caramelized onions and pea purée to the side. Pour in an appropriate amount of fish stock, and finally drizzle with a generous amount of basil oil. Your dish is complete!