Pan-Seared Sea Bass in a Marsala Sauce

Preheat your oven to 450F.

1. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil to medium heat in a pan and add garlic, onions and mushrooms. Cook until onions are translucent and mushrooms are nearly tender.

2. Turn heat to high and pour in wine. Quickly scrape off any brown bits with the wine. Let some of the wine cook off.

3. Turn down heat to medium. Add in chicken stock, salt and pepper. Allow to cook until mushrooms are tender and liquid has reduced into a slightly thicker sauce. It should coat a spoon. Cover and set aside.

4. In an oven proof pan, heat olive oil until just before smoking point. The amount depends on your pan and the quantity of fish you use; you don’t want to fry your fish, merely sear it, so don’t put so much in that when you add the fish, it will rise to 1/2 an inch. Mine rose to maybe 1/8 of an inch.

5. Pat your fish dry on both sides. Liberally salt and pepper both sides.

6. Carefully place your fish in the pan. To avoid splatter, lay it down away from you, meaning the side closest to you gets set down, the side further away from you gets dropped.

7. Sear for 5-6 minutes until golden brown. Flip over for another few minutes until golden brown. Then transfer to the oven for 3-4 minutes until cooked through.

8. Dish out sauce and place the fish in the middle. Serve with some steamed vegetables, preferably tossed in rosemary.