You’ll need:

1 pound White Sea bass – we were lucky enough to get ours straight from the sea!!

1 lemon, sliced thin
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt
2 tablespoons butter

1 pound asparagus
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

What you do: 

I have been experimenting with Sous Vide and have found it’s a great way to cook fish.  Using this method you’re guaranteed a moist, never over-cooked, piece of fish.

Sprinkle the fish with salt, top with the lemon slices and thyme sprigs and place in a freezer zip-loc.  I normally use a vacuum sealer for the sous vide, but fish is so delicate it tends to “smoosh” under the pressure.  Sous Vide the fish at 135 degrees for 45 minutes.

While the fish is cooking prepare the vegetables.  I prefer to blanch the asparagus, partly because I love the vibrant green color and it also makes it easier to control the doneness of the asparagus.  Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the asparagus and tomatoes, season with salt, and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium high heat.  Remove the fish from the bag and sauté in the butter for about one minute per side, just enough to give it a little color.

Top the fish with chopped parsley and serve with the asparagus and tomatoes.

John’s Wine Pairing:

White Sea Bass is probably our favorite fish, especially prepared this way.  The richness combined with the wonderful subtle flavor of the dish screams for an intense chardonnay.  Our son-in-law, Jeff, the knowledgeable wine guy, introduced us to the Nudant Jean-Rene, a wonderful example of the famous Chardonnays of the Meursault appellation. Out of our usual California range and a little pricey, it is worth the splurge.  The flavor of the fruit, the mouthfeel and the lingering finish paired perfectly with the wonderful preparation of the dish.