Giacomo Sgroi: Chilean Sea Bass with Montalcino Sauce

Ever since I saw a beautiful fillet of sea bass for sale at Costco, I've been trying to think of a fun way to use it.  And what better than topped with a crab sauce?  While it looks somewhat complicated, it's actually not that bad to throw together, and somehow the sweetness of the fish works really well with the sweetness of the crab and the sweetness of the tomato sauce.  I served it with some wilted arugula for contrast, and it was fantastic, but you can always do pasta.

Note: Since I am not an Italian restaurant, and I do not have a multitude of sauces bubbling away at all times, I used canned Cento white clam sauce in this recipe.  It was still delicious.

Chilean Sea Bass with Montalcino Sauce
From Giacomo Sgroi of Nonna Sulina's Sicilian Kitchen, as seen at Lehigh Valley Style

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon, divided use
1¼ red onion, sliced
1½ tablespoons golden raisins
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
4 large basil leaves, sliced thin in chiffonade
¾ cup crushed and peeled Italian tomatoes with basil
½ cup Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris
¾ cups white clam sauce
¼ cup water
Pinch of kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and granulated sugar
¼ cup jumbo lump crabmeat

4 (4-ounce) Chilean sea bass portions
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs thyme, plus more for garnish

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until light brown. Add raisins, pine nuts, basil leaves, and crushed Italian tomatoes. Stir frequently and simmer for two minutes. Add wine, clam sauce, water, salt, pepper, sugar, and crabmeat. Stir frequently and simmer for two more minutes, then set aside.

Pat fish dry with a towel to remove excess water. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil until golden. Place the fish gently in frying pan. Add garlic and thyme. Cook fish for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, until golden brown, while continuously spooning butter over fish. When done, remove fish and place in the skillet with the prepared sauce and spoon sauce over fish until well coated. Add a few sprigs of thyme on top and put in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. (Oven temperatures and cooking times vary. Start checking at eight minutes for doneness. Sauce will thicken when sufficiently cooked.) Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings