Sea Bass with Caviar Beurre Blanc

By Beleaev Family | Beleaev Caviar & Gourmet

Pan-cook four sea bass fillets, spoon a crème fraîche beurre blanc beside each and finish every plate with 5g of Imperial Gold Special Reserve. The caviar is divided from one 20g tin and added only after the sauce leaves the hob.

• Yield: 4 main-course plates
• Fish: 1 x 140g fillet per person
• Caviar: 5g per plate

Ingredients and packs

Equipment

• Wide frying pan and fish slice
• Probe thermometer suitable for fish
• Small saucepan, fine sieve and balloon whisk
• Digital scale and four warmed plates
• Non-metal caviar spoon

Cook the fish and beurre blanc

1. Reduce the aromatics. Put the wine, vinegar and shallot in the saucepan. Simmer until about 30ml liquid remains, then strain it back into the clean pan.
2. Whisk in cold butter. Keep the reduction warm but below a boil. Add the 120g butter cube by cube, whisking continuously and moving the pan off the heat whenever it becomes too hot.
3. Finish the base sauce. Whisk in 60g crème fraîche until combined. Keep the saucepan in a warm place while the fish cooks; do not let it boil.
4. Cook the sea bass. Heat the frying pan with 10ml oil. Place them skin-side down first, press gently to keep the skin flat, turn once the skin is crisp and cook until the thickest part meets current safe seafood guidance or exact supplier directions.
5. Rest while plating sauce. Move the cooked fillets to a clean plate. Spoon the beurre blanc onto four warmed serving plates.
6. Complete the dish. Place one fillet on each plate and add 5g Imperial Gold to the sauce beside it. Finish with chives.

Track the reduction volume

Reduce the wine-and-vinegar mixture as described before adding butter gradually over gentle heat. Keep the sauce emulsified rather than allowing it to boil after the butter is incorporated. Adjust the heat if oil separates from the sauce.

Beurre-blanc troubleshooting

• The sauce looks oily: remove it from heat and whisk in a teaspoon of cool water before continuing with butter.
• The crème fraîche forms specks: let it approach cool room temperature and add it after the butter emulsion is stable.
• The sea bass curls: press it gently at first contact with the pan and avoid overcrowding.
• The caviar warms too quickly: place it on sauce at the edge of the fish, not in the hot pan or reduction saucepan.

Allergens and service boundary

Fish and milk are present. Wine remains an ingredient even after reduction, and exact labels may identify sulphites or cross-contact. Confirm sea bass doneness under current safe guidance. Keep the caviar and crème fraîche chilled as their labels direct until needed. Serve promptly after cooking; keep unused ingredients under their own pack instructions.

Skin and sauce control

The main method uses skin-on fillets. Dry the skin, place it down first in the oiled pan and press gently at the beginning so it stays in contact with the surface. Turn when the skin is crisp and the fish releases, then continue until the thickest part is cooked safely. If using skinless fish, handle it carefully and judge its centre rather than waiting for a skin cue.

Reduce the wine and vinegar to about 30ml strained liquid before whisking in the butter. This gives a clear starting point for the sauce, while the final texture still depends on gentle heat and gradual additions. The wine and any sulphites remain relevant ingredients after reduction.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put caviar in the saucepan?

Keep it out of the hot reduction. Divide the finished sauce between four plates and add one 5g topping to each after the intense heat has settled.

What temperature should the fish reach?

Use the exact supplier directions and an appropriate safe endpoint. Food Standards Agency guidance includes 70°C for two minutes or equivalent combinations.

Cooked samphire or cauliflower purée can be served alongside. For another four-person fish dish, try slow-roasted salmon with caviar.

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