Grilled Sea Bass with Crisp Potato Skins and Crab Butter
Pan-seared sea bass fillets topped with luxurious crab butter, served alongside crispy potato skins roasted until golden. This restaurant-quality dish combines delicate flaked fish with the richness of brown and white crabmeat folded into softened butter, creating an elegant but approachable dinner. The sea bass skin crisps under high heat while staying tender inside, and the potato skins deliver textural contrast with their crunchy exteriors and tender flesh. The pickled onion and vinegar reduction add brightness and cut through the richness of the crab butter. Perfect for dinner parties or special weeknight meals when you want to impress without fussy technique. This version showcases the natural flavors of quality fish and fresh crab, letting the ingredients shine rather than masking them. The interplay of crispy, buttery, and briny elements makes it memorable and crave-worthy.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb Maris Piper potatoesYukon Gold1:1starchy potato
holds shape well when peeled
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- thyme sprigs, plus extra leaves to serve
- flaky sea salt, good sprinkle
- 1 salad onion, white part finely chopped
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 4 sea bass fillets, descaled, or other skin-on fishhalibut1:1white fishfirm
equally good; check market
- 3 ½ tbsp butter, softened
- 3 ½ oz prepared white and brown crabmeat
- olive oil, to drizzle
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 350°F/325°F fan/gas 4.
- 2
Cut ends from potatoes and reserve. Cut the peel and about ⅓" of flesh from each potato, leaving blocky barrels.
- 3
On a shallow baking tray, massage the skins and potato ends with vegetable oil, flaky sea salt, and thyme sprigs.
- 4
Roast for 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until tender and starting to crisp. Set aside.
- 5
Simmer the finely chopped salad onion with white wine vinegar until reduced to about 1 tsp.
- 6
Strain the vinegar into softened butter, keeping the cooked onion separate. Add crabmeat and seasoning to the butter and mash well. Chill until needed.
- 7
Heat grill to high and ensure it is very hot.
- 8
Slash the skin of each sea bass fillet three times and season.
- 9
Put the roasted potatoes under the grill for 2 minutes or until hot and starting to crisp again, then lay fish fillets on top.
- 10
Pour olive oil over the fish and grill for 4 minutes or until opaque with skin crisping.
- 11
Dollop one-quarter of the crab butter onto each fillet and grill for 1 minute until the butter begins to melt.
- 12
Transfer fish to warmed plates using a fish slice, serving with potato skins, fresh thyme leaves, and charred onion and tomato salad.
Tips
Ensure your grill is genuinely hot before cooking fish; this creates crispy skin in seconds. If your grill lacks power, sear fillets skin-side down in a non-stick pan first, then finish on the grill or under the broiler.
Make crab butter ahead and chill it solid. This prevents it from melting too quickly off the hot fish and ensures a luxurious coating that melts into the flesh.
Cut potato barrels uniform in size so they roast evenly. Reserve all trimmings, as they roast faster and create textural variety on the plate.
Good to Know
Crab butter keeps refrigerated up to 3 days; freeze for up to 1 month. Cooked potato skins store refrigerated for 2 days; reheat in a 180C oven for 5 minutes.
Prepare crab butter the day before. Roast potato skins up to 4 hours ahead; briefly warm under the grill or in the oven before serving.
Serve immediately on warmed plates with charred onion and tomato salad alongside, offering crisp white wine or pale ale.
Common Mistakes
Overcrowd the grill or use low heat to avoid steaming the fish instead of crisping it.
Skip seasoning the fish fillets to avoid bland flavor that crab butter cannot rescue.
Add crab butter before the fish is fully cooked to avoid it sliding off before the flesh sets.
Substitutions
equally good; check market
holds shape well when peeled
FAQ
Can I use frozen sea bass fillets?
Yes, thaw completely before cooking and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This ensures the skin crisps properly under the grill and the butter adheres well.
What if I don't have a grill?
Sear the fish skin-side down in a hot ovenproof non-stick pan for 3 minutes until crispy, then finish under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. Warm the potatoes in the same pan or separately.
Can I make this ahead and reheat?
Prepare components separately: roast potatoes and make crab butter ahead. Reheat potatoes in the oven and cook fish fresh to order for the best skin texture and butter application.