Delicious Chilean sea bass; its real name is Patagonian toothfish. Since it has become quite popular, Chilean waters have been nearly overfished, so save this tasty white-fleshed cold-water fish for a treat like this one.
Ingredients
For the Mojo Sauce
- 6 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise
- ⅓ cup thinly slivered onion
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from about 5 limes)
- ¾ teaspoon white wine vinegar
For the Fish
- 3 fillets Chilean sea bass (about 1 pound each)
- 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
- 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 large cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
- 2 ripe avocados, preferably Hass, for serving
- 1½ cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, or cilantro sprigs, for serving
How to Make It
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For the Mojo Sauce
- Combine the garlic, onion, cumin, and salt and pepper and toss to mix.
- Heat the olive oil in a small heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the onion mixture and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, 10 minutes. Add the lime juice and vinegar, raise the heat to medium-low, and simmer to blend the flavors, 5 minutes. Set the mojo aside.
- Cut the sea bass fillets in half crosswise.
- Whisk the lime juice, 5 tablespoons of the olive oil, the salt and pepper, and the garlic together in a large shallow bowl. Add the fish and coat the pieces well. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. Then remove the fish from the marinade and pat dry.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Using a very sharp knife, score the skin side of the fish twice on the diagonal to prevent curling.
- Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sear the fish, skin side down, pressing on it with a spatula until the skin is crisp and golden brown, 5 minutes.
- Transfer the fish to an ovenproof dish or skillet, arranging it skin side down, and bake it in the oven until cooked through, 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, gently heat the mojo sauce over very low heat.
- Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Peel all four halves, and cut them into thin lengthwise slices.
- To serve, place a piece of fish in the center of each dinner plate. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons mojo sauce atop each piece. Fan 2 or 3 slices of avocado over each serving and sprinkle with some of the cilantro. Place the remaining cilantro and the remaining sauce in bowls, to pass at the table.