Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass...Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Heirloom Esquites & Huitlacoche Velouté

A sophisticated coastal Mexican masterpiece featuring crisp-skinned Chilean sea bass over charred heirloom corn esquites, finished with an earthy, velvety huitlacoche and mezcal reduction.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Pat the sea bass fillets dry with paper towels. Lightly score the skin with a sharp knife, season both sides generously with sea salt, and let rest at room temperature.

2. 02

   Heat the bone marrow or lard in a seasoned cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the heirloom corn kernels and sear without stirring for 2-3 minutes to achieve a deep, smoky char. Stir once, cook for another 2 minutes, then stir in the chopped epazote. Remove from heat, toss with a squeeze of lime juice, and season with salt. Keep warm.

3. 03

   In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Sauté the minced shallot and garlic until translucent and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the huitlacoche and sauté for another 3 minutes to release its rich, earthy aromas.

4. 04

   Deglaze the saucepan with the mezcal, carefully allowing the alcohol to flame off or reduce by half. Pour in the fish stock and simmer gently until the liquid is reduced by half.

5. 05

   Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender and process until completely smooth. Pass the velouté through a fine-mesh chinois back into the pan. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of cold butter to emulsify, creating a glossy, velvet finish. Season with white pepper and salt to taste; keep warm.

6. 06

   Heat a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan over medium-high heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and a splash of neutral oil. Place the sea bass fillets skin-side down, pressing gently with a fish spatula for 30 seconds to ensure even skin contact. Sear for 5-6 minutes until the skin is exceptionally crisp and golden. Flip gently and cook for an additional 2 minutes until just translucent in the center.

7. 07

   To assemble, spoon a neat mound of the warm charred esquites in the center of four shallow, warmed bowls. Carefully place a sea bass fillet, crispy skin-side up, on top of the corn.

8. 08

   Pour a pool of the dark, aromatic huitlacoche velouté around the base of the esquites. Garnish the fish with a dusting of grated Cotija, fresh lime zest, micro-cilantro, and vibrant marigold petals. Serve immediately.