Baked sea bass with pea rice

How to prepare a baked sea bass .

Do you remember the phrase “the simple is, on many occasions, the best”? . Well this is the case with this fish recipe that we prepare today.

From 3 very basic ingredients: sea ​​bass, pumpkin rice and some peas , we obtain a balanced, healthy dish with a delicious flavor.

Before telling you about the elaboration, I will tell you a little about the virtues and qualities of sea bass or Dicentrarchus labrax.

The wild sea bass is a fish that lives in the North Sea, the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean. That is, we find it from the coasts of Norway to the African coasts of Senegal.

It is also very common in the Mediterranean Sea. The name of sea bass comes from the Latin “lupa”, which means she-wolf. Because of the fame of this predatory animal fish and the aggressive and shameless way in which it attacks its prey.

The best season for catching sea bass is the cold months, from November to March. Given the short time of this period, wild sea bass tends to have a high price, especially at Christmas, when consumption increases. AND

n the present, most of the seabass that reaches the fishmongers comes from aquaculture, which allows us to dispose of this fish throughout the year at an acceptable price.

Due to its low fat content, it is considered a very nutritious food that, if cooked simply, can be a regular part of low-calorie diets.

Compared to the rest of fresh fish, its meat gives us a lot of potassium, phosphorus and iron. Its culinary possibilities are endless. As it is a fish with a fine flavor and compact meat, it can be prepared in the oven, on the grill, on the grill, in papillote, etc.

Hardly boneless, with a mild flavor and a slight odor, it is very suitable for the smallest of the house.

For all these positive reasons, the sea bass is usually present in prestigious restaurants and all those who bet on fresh and quality products. I hope you like the recipe and prepare it at home.

Preparations prior to the preparation of the sea bass

1. We put the peas to cook in a saucepan with boiling water and a little salt. Its optimal cooking time is between 2-4 minutes (fresh 2 minutes and frozen 4 minutes). Once removed and drained, we put them in ice water to give them a deep green color, necessary to later color our rice. Drain and reserve.
2. We will ask the fishmonger to separate the loins from the sea bass. Also reserving the head, tail and central spine.
3. To make the broth, in a saucepan with a liter and a half of water cook the head, half the central spine and the tail. We salt to taste and let cook about 20 minutes over low heat.

Preparation of pea rice

In the world of rice there are many varieties, as many as the chef’s preferences. I have chosen a bomba rice for its ability to absorb flavors from the broth. Calculating 100 gr. per diner we will need 2 and a half parts of broth for each one.

1. Chop the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. We put a pinch of salt to release water and help it not pass us. Now we add the leek cut into pieces similar to the onion.
2. We continue frying another 5 minutes, covering the pan so that the aromas and flavors are concentrated. With the poached vegetables, we turn off the heat. Add the peas, stir and let them cook together for a couple of minutes.
3. We introduce the mixture in a blender glass, add a glass of broth and crush (on medium speed). We want to obtain a green “juice” of peas. Even adding more broth if necessary, until you have a perfect point.
4. We go through the masher to remove stumbles. Strain and mix with the rest of the fish stock. We cook the rice in this green broth over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes depending on the point we want to give the rice.

Preparation of sea bass in papillote

1. We cut the sea bass loins in two to have 4 servings. We prepare for each of them a square of aluminum foil large enough. We put a little oil in the center. We place the sea bass portion with the skin down and salt.
2. We water with a tablespoon of white wine, place a sprig of parsley on top and close. It should be perfectly closed and sealed but with a little interior space so that the cooking vapors can circulate in the papillote.
3. We preheat the oven for 5 min at 200º C and then bake for 10 min at the same temperature. We will be checking how the packages are swelling. We want the fish to be tender and juicy, so it is important not to miss the point.
4. When we open the papillote we must carefully remove the sea bass so that the part of scales comes out in its entirety and does not stick to the wrapper.
5. We place a base of “green” rice with the help of a mold. We water with a little of the juice of the fish and place the portion of loin of sea bass.
6. Season with salt and pepper (better with Maldon salt flakes if you have it and a touch of white pepper, which is much better for fish). And finally we decorate with some mint leaves and some chive stems.

Simply delicious, a perfect recipe for the weekly menu or a special celebration.

Be sure to enjoy all the recipes for fish and seafood that we have on the blog. I assure you that you will find a lot of ideas to make yours much happier.

Tips for a perfect sea bass with peas

• To take full advantage of its qualities, we are going to prepare the sea bass in papillote, in its own juice, only with a splash of oil and a little salt.
• The papillote is a technique from France. It consists of wrapping the food in aluminum foil and then cooking them in the oven. This culinary method makes them cook in their own juice taking advantage of the steam that is generated. Achieving a great intensity in flavor and aroma.
• To accompany it we will make a rice taking advantage of a fish broth made with the head and the bones, and a chromatic touch using fresh peas.
• The guide price for this recipe is € 3.90 / person as the sea bass is from aquaculture (2 sea bass at € 7 each). If the sea bass is wild the price is higher, € 6 / person if it is a sea bass it is approximately 1.5 kg.
• If you cook this recipe in spring, when peas are in season. We recommend that you use them fresh to take advantage of the fact that they are more tender. The rest of the year you will find them frozen or canned, but they do not come pre-cooked.