Rich, tender, melt-in-your-mouth white fish with a crisp golden crust and elegant finish.
Pistachio-Crusted Chilean Sea Bass
Ingredients:
- 2 (8-oz) Chilean sea bass fillets
- 4½ oz raw, unsalted pistachios, shelled and finely chopped
- 1 large lemon
- 1 tsp sea salt, divided
- ½ tsp black pepper, divided
- 3½ Tbsp olive oil, divided
- Pinch of sea salt (for finishing)
- Pinch of black pepper (for finishing)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the pistachios – Finely chop pistachios by hand or pulse in a food processor until crumb-like (not paste). Set aside.
- Season the fish – Rinse fillets under cold water and pat completely dry. Sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper evenly on all sides. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Prepare baking dish – Drizzle ½ Tbsp olive oil into a shallow baking dish. Place sea bass in the dish.
- Add lemon and oil – Squeeze lemon juice evenly over the fish, then drizzle 2 Tbsp olive oil over the top (try Dijon mustard instead!)
- Apply pistachio crust – Spoon chopped pistachios over each fillet, gently pressing to adhere. Sprinkle any extra nuts around the pan.
- Drizzle remaining olive oil over the crust and finish with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until fish is opaque and flakes easily (internal temperature should reach 140–145°F)
- Serve – Transfer to plates and spoon the lemon-olive oil sauce from the pan over the top.
