Sea Bass with Peanut Sauce

A spicy peanut sauce coats tender pan-seared sea bass.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 serrano chiles, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons peanut butter, unsalted, creamy
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) sea bass fillets
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 lime, quartered

Cooking Directions:

1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add butter; when melted, sauté serranos and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, honey and chile sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Set aside and hold warm.
2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow pan. Dredge fish in flour until evenly coated.
3. Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, but not smoking, place fish in pan (fish should sizzle on contact), flesh-side down. Sauté for 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn fish over and finish cooking on other side, about 3 more minutes.
4. Transfer fish to warm plates and spoon warm peanut sauce over fish. Sprinkle with chives and garnish with lime. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.