Chilean sea bass is known for being a luxurious dish, often found on the menu at high-end restaurants.  This Baked Chilean Sea Bass with Black Truffle Beurre Blanc Sauce can be prepared at home and taste just as decadent as it does in the restaurants.  A thick, tender Chilean sea bass fillet in a puddle of velvety smooth, black truffle butter sauce and garnished with a slice of truffle and bits of pimento. 

Whether you’re gearing up for a date night or treating yourself to a little something special, this baked Chilean sea bass will not disappoint!

Don’t be thrown off by how fancy the black truffle beurre blanc sauce sounds, it’s very simple to make and VERY delicious. The black truffle butter in the sauce brings the whole dish together and takes the tender, flaky baked Chilean sea bass over the top. If you’re looking to impress, this is definitely the right recipe for the job! 

Even though its flesh is white like bass, it is not actually a sea bass. The true name is Patagonian toothfish and it is actually a species of cod. It was re-branded under the name Chilean sea bass in order to make it more marketable.

What is so special about Chilean Sea Bass

Chilean Sea Bass is deliciously luxurious. It is rich, buttery, flaky, and so tender it practically melts in your mouth. Since it is high in fat, it is difficult to over-cook so if you leave it on the heat a little too long it will still be moist and flakey.

Is There a Difference Between a Beurre Blanc Sauce and a Hollandaise Sauce?

Both sauces are luxurious, buttery French cuisine sauces. But there is a difference between a beurre blanc sauce and a hollandaise sauce.

Beurre blanc is emulsified with wine and lemon juice or vinegar. It usually has shallots or onions which gives it a little bit of texture. The French classic beurre blanc sauce does not have any cream, however, many chefs add a bit to help stabilize the sauce.

Hollandaise sauce is an emulsion of egg yolks, melted butter and lemon juice. It is generally smoother and thicker than a beurre blanc. Hollandaise sauce is one of the five mother sauces in French Cuisine.

What You Need To Prepare This Baked Chilean Sea Bass Recipe

• 2 Chilean Sea Bass Fillets
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Slice of black truffle (optional)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Shallot
• White wine
• Heavy cream
• Black Truffle Butter 
• White pepper

How To Make this Recipe:

Before we get started, you’re going to want to bookmark-pin this recipe.  This is a brief overview of the process but please scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card that gives full instructions and notes:

1. Brush the fillets on all sides with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper.  Place the fillets, skin side down on the wire rack and transfer to a 425°F preheated oven.  
2. Bake the sea bass for 15-20 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork and an instant-read thermometer reads 145°F at the center of a fillet.  
3. For a crispy crust on top of the fillets, turn the oven temperature to ‘broil’ and brown the fillets for 2-3 minutes.

While the fish is baking prepare the Black Truffle Beurre Blanc Sauce:

1. Heat some olive oil in a small skillet.  Add the shallots and sauté until soft, do not let them brown.
2. Pour the wine into the pan and let it reduce until it is just a film on the bottom of the pan.  Stir in the cream and reduce until thick.  
3. Slide the pan off the heat and begin adding 1 or 2 cubes of butter while whisking the sauce.  Continue sliding the skillet on and off the heat at 10-second intervals to control the heat.  If the sauce becomes too hot the butter will separate and you will lose the emulsion. 
4. Keep adding butter pieces, whisking, and sliding the pan on/off the heat until all the butter has been incorporated and the sauce is smooth and creamy.  
5. Add salt and white pepper to taste. Transfer to a small pitcher or jar.  Set the jar of sauce in a bowl of hot tap water to keep warm while preparing the fish.

Tips for success

• The fish filets we used were about 1-½ inch thick, so adjust the cooking time according to the thickness of your filets and cook until the internal temperature has reached 145°F. I actually cook the fish to a temperature between 135°F and 140°F for the best texture but food safety guidelines recommend a temperature of 145°F.
• When cooking the sauce, keep the heat on low and continuously remove the skillet from the heat every 10 seconds while whisking the butter. If the sauce gets too hot, then the butter will separate.
• The heavy cream is optional, but it helps keep the sauce from separating and makes this recipe so much easier.
• I have had great success with keeping just ¼ of the skillet over the heat while whisking the butter. This gives it just enough heat to melt the butter without allowing it to separate.
• If the sauce begins to separate, add a teaspoon of wine or another liquid while whisking vigorously. Once the sauce has come back together, continue adding the butter one cube at a time!

This special dinner of Chilean sea bass deserves a pairing with a good dry white wine. I would suggest a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris or Chardonnay.

Enjoy this amazing dinner! ♥️

SOME OTHER RECIPES WE ARE SURE YOU WILL LOVE:

• This Spanish Romesco seafood stew is s spicy spin on cioppino with chorizo sausage, a plethora of seafood, and a flavorful romesco sauce. What a spectacular dinner!
• For a fast dinner with a ton of flavor, make this broiled cod with chive butter. Serve it with some ricotta mashed potatoes or wild blend rice to soak up the savory chive butter.
• These cheesy shrimp and grits make a filling and delicious dinner. This is gourmet comfort food at its best!

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