Sea Bass with Lemon and Caper Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 (6-ounce) sea bass fillets
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 1 ounce olive oil
• 6 ounces butter
• 1/2 cup bread (white, brioche or baguette), crust trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 8 ounces assorted baby vegetables (baby carrots, baby turnips, asparagus tips, yellow zucchini), blanched in salted boiling water
• 1/4 cup brunoise red bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1/4 cup chopped lemon sections and juice
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons minced chives
• 1 teaspoon minced tarragon leaves
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 tablespoon caper berries, halved lengthwise

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Season sea bass fillets with salt and pepper. In a saute pan, over high heat, add the olive oil and sear fish fillets skin side down first, for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn fish over and cook another 4 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare the croutons. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Toss with bread cubes and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake in oven for 4 minutes or until crisp and golden in color. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

In another saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter. Over high heat, saute the baby vegetables until glazed. Divide into 2 and mound in center of plate. Keep warm.

Add the remaining 2 ounces of butter to the fillets and baste them with the butter. Place a fillet and the red peppers on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle half of the croutons on top and around each fillet. To butter, add shallots and continue to cook until butter turns brown. Deglaze with lemon juice, and add the lemon pieces, parsley, chives, tarragon, capers, and caper berries. When heated, pour half over and around each fillet. Serve immediately.

Note: if sea bass is not available, any firm white fish can be substituted.