Cumin/Pepper Crusted Chilean Sea Bass

Chilean Sea Bass is a wonderfully rich fish and needless to say, there are innumerable ways to prepare it. However combining it with the ancient spice, cumin seeds adds a twist of middle eastern flavor to it by pan searing the fish crusted with the cumin then roasting to juicy tenderness.
Just as an aside cumin has been used to spice foods from biblical times.

INGREDIENTS:

2 (6-ounce) Chilean sea bass fillets
1 Tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp whole black pepper corns
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 lemon wedges
¼ cup of dry white wine
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

PREPARATION:

Wash the bass and check for bones. Remove the skin if present. Pat dry and set aside. Coarsely chop the parsley.

Toast the cumin seeds in a large dry cast iron skillet over medium heat until lightly browned and aromatic (this will take about 10 minutes). Place pepper corns in a spice/coffee grinder and process several times. Add the toasted cumin and process until finely ground. Scatter about half onto a plate, then place the bass fillets top-up and rub spice mixture in. Sprinkle the remainder over the top and press in with the back of a spoon or spatula.

Preheat oven to 375° while toasting the cumin, about 15 min before cooking.

COOKING:

Preheat a cast iron fry pan over med-high heat (7-8). When the rim is hot to the touch, add the olive oil to pan letting it heat just 'till a whiff of smoke arises. Add the bass; searing the bottom and then the top, for 2 minutes on each. Then sear the sides for 1 min each.

Place the pan with the bass into the over and roast 375° for (8-10 min. for 1-1/4" thick) Desired internal temp: 130° no less, when tested with an instant read thermometer. Transfer the bass to plates. Cover with aluminum foil tents.

Deglaze the pan with the wine reduced to about ½ and pour over the bass then sprinkle with parsley.

PRESENTATION SPECIAL: Slice 2 thin slices of lemon and thread a stalk of parsley thru the center of the lemon.

Adapted from Cooking Light, Dec. 2001