Potato-crusted sea bass with saffron sauce is a fantastic dish that will delight your taste buds.
Sea bass is one of our favorite fish, and here, it is wrapped with thin slices of potatoes and cooked until golden. While the potatoes cook on the outside, the steam and heat gently cook the sea bass.
Fish… is all I could think about since I woke at 4 a.m. this morning. We have not had fish in so long, and I wanted to prepare something new. I am into sauces, so creating a new sauce has been fun.
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As a result, the sauce from the below recipe was adapted from a restaurant in a winery in California. Actually, I originally followed the recipe by the note, but I was not pleased with the timing or the sauce, so I modified it to suit my palate.
I have had this wonderful recipe in my repertoire and blog since the beginning of my blogging life and it amazes me how delicious it is every time I make it for my family.
Adding mascarpone and saffron to the heavy cream creates a rich taste and flavor. The white wine, which I always recommend using the same wine you would enjoy during dinner, makes this sauce amazing.
But do not take my word for it. Give it a try!
In this Article
- Subscribe to Giangi's Kitchen!
- What is Saffron?
- Ingredients needed to make this recipe
- Equipment you will need
- Step by step on how to make this delicious sea bass
- Pro Tip
- What goes well with this potatoes crusted sea bass with saffron sauce
- Storing and Reheating
- If you enjoy this recipe of potato-crusted sea bass, you may want to try my other recipes:
- Potatoes Crusted Sea Bass with Saffron Sauce
What is Saffron?
I love saffron, and on any occasion to cook with it, I jump on it and take it.
The color’s richness and the flavor’s intensity are always welcome with any dish.
A bit pricey as each strand is hand-collected, but a small strand will go a long way in flavoring your dish.
Ingredients needed to make this recipe
This is a short introduction. The ingredient list is also brief. It includes essential items that you may already have in your pantry. Please read the recipe for complete instructions.
Sea bass fillets – make sure they all are the same size. This will help at cooking time.
Potatoes – Ensure they are long so you can slice them lengthwise
Olive oil – To saute the shallots and the base of your sauce
Shallots – my favorite to use as it is mild and add flavor to all sauces
Garlic clove – always adds a layer of flavor to all your sauces
White wine – a nice dry white wine that you will drink also.
Heavy cream – to create your sauce
Mascarpone – add a touch of richness to your saffron sauce
Saffron – just a pinch will not only give that wonderful flavor, also that great yellowish color to your sauce
Salt and pepper – your seasoning
Equipment you will need
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Step by step on how to make this delicious sea bass
With all my recipes, please assemble all the ingredients before starting cooking and baking.
Start by preparing and cooking the sea bass fillets
- Star by patting dry the sea bass and season it generously with salt and pepper.
- Place a large sheet of parchment paper on your work surface
- Halve your peeled potatoes lengthwise, and slice each half very thinly with the help of a mandoline.
- Place 5 to 6 slices of potatoes on the parchment in a row, overlapping the long side, and set 5 to 6 slices overlapping in the opposite direction.
- Season the potato slices generously with salt and pepper, and place your sea bass fillet across the overlapped potato slices.
- Fold the sides over the sea bass fillets, forming a pocket. Pat down to press the potatoes to the fish. Season generously again with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Place the wrapped sea bass seam side down and cook until golden, about 6 minutes.
- Turn and cook another 4 to 5 minutes until the fish is opaque.
- Transfer to a plate, cover, and keep warm.
Making the sauce
While our sea bass fillets are resting, it is time to make the sauce by:
- Add oil, garlic, and shallot to the skillet. Stir for one minute until they both are soft and translucent.
- Add the wine and the pinch of saffron. Cook on high heat for at least 30 seconds. Add the cream and reduce to half.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, add the mascarpone and remove from the heat.
- Swirl the skillet until the mascarpone is melted and incorporated into the cream well.
Assembling your dish
- Place your potato-crusted sea bass fillets on a plate and spoon the sauce over it.
Pro Tip
- Cook the potatoes. Please do not follow my timing when cooking the fish, as every stove differs. I have a Wolf that can go from 500 BTU to 16000 BTU. There is nothing more undesirable than biting into uncooked potatoes. Ensure the outside is nice and crisp and the interior is soft.
What goes well with this potatoes crusted sea bass with saffron sauce
For a side dish, my son and I did not see eye to eye. My son wanted steamed broccolis. I wanted spinach…. Well… we are told as a parent to pick our battles, and tonight, I was in no mood to do so and, therefore, prepared two-sided dishes. Broccolis for my son, spinach for me. After all, he wanted broccolis, and I could not refuse him. Great side dishes.
Oven-Roasted Broccoli with lemon and garlic is another alternative.
And for dessert, the perfect slice of Pear Cake .
Storing and Reheating
Storage: Store your leftover sea bass in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating: Bring back to room temperature and reheat over the stove over medium heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to your skillet and cover to keep the stem in.
If you enjoy this recipe of potato-crusted sea bass, you may want to try my other recipes:
Saffron Lemon Chicken with Persian Saffron Rice
Potatoes Crusted Sea Bass with Saffron Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 sea bass fillets, 6 ounces each
- 2 potatoes, peeled
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large shallots, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon mascarpone cheese
- saffron, pinch
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Past dry the fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place a large sheet of parchment on work surface. Halve each potato lengthwise. Using a mandolin, slice each potato half very thinly. Set 5 to 6 slices on parchment in a row, overlapping long sides. Set 5 to 6 slices of potatoes overlapping going on the opposite direction, forming a 6×5 rectangle. Sprinkle the rectangle with salt and pepper. Set 1 fillet across overlapped short end of slices.
- Fold sides of rectangle over fish, forming packet. Press to adhere. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining potato slices and fish fillet.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Set wrapped fish fillets, seam side down in the skillet. Cook until golden on bottom, about 6 minutes. Turn and cook until the fish is opaque in the center, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer to plates, cover and keep warm.
- Add 3 tablespoons of oil to skillet and add the garlic and shallot. Stir for 1 minute. Add wine and saffron. Cook on high heat for 30 seconds. Add the cream and reduce by one half. Season with salt and pepper. Add the mascarpone and remove from the heat. Spoon sauce over the prepared sea bass fillets and serve.
Nutrition
Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Fish, Dinners
- Cuisine: French
- Type: Under 45 minutes
Did you make this?
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