Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Season both sides of the fish generously with salt and pepper.

Heat canola oil in a medium-sized oven-safe pan over high heat for a few minutes to let the oil get nice and hot.
Once the oil has heated up for a couple of minutes, drop the sea bass into place and let it sit there untouched for two minutes. (Don’t overcrowd the pan, as this will kill our ability to create a tasty crust on the fish.) Sear over high heat for 2 minutes, then transfer the pan into the 375-degree oven WITHOUT FLIPPING THE FISH OVER. Set the timer to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, begin making the lemon shallot butter sauce. Melting the butter over a medium-high heat. Add in the minced shallot and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes.

When the shallots have become a little softer, squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Whisk together and reduce the heat to medium until you’ve got an incredible-smelling sauce. (Skipping the shallots in this process will make a super-simple lemon butter sauce.)

Once the fish has been in the oven for 8 minutes, remove it and let it rest for a moment before serving. Take this time to remove the pin bones if your butcher didn’t do it for you.

This exact method will work well with halibut, salmon, or any other thick fish. Great results every time.