Pan-Fried Sea Bream

Pan-fried sea bream is a delicious dish, simple and very quick to prepare. Here’s how you can cook sea bream the Italian way:

Ingredients

• 1 sea bream of about 300-400 grams (per person), gutted and scaled
• Flour, as needed (to flour the fish)
• 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• Chopped parsley, as needed
• Salt and pepper, as needed
• Juice of half a lemon (optional)
• White wine, a splash (optional)

Preparation

1. Cleaning the sea bream: Make sure the sea bream is well cleaned, with scales removed and entrails gutted. Rinse it under running water to remove any residue and pat it dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.
2. Flouring: Season the sea bream with salt and pepper inside and out, then lightly flour it. This will help prevent it from sticking to the pan and create a golden crust.
3. Pan cooking: In a wide pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil and add the garlic cloves to flavor it. When the oil is hot, place the sea bream in the pan and cook over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes per side, until golden. As an optional touch, you can deglaze with a splash of white wine.
4. Finishing and serving: Once cooked, remove the garlic and drizzle the sea bream with lemon juice to add a touch of freshness. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Pan-fried sea bream is excellent when accompanied by a side of vegetables, such as sautéed spinach or roasted potatoes.

Trivia

Sea bream is a fish highly appreciated in Mediterranean cuisine for its delicate flavor and firm, tasty flesh. In Italian tradition, it is common to prepare fish with cooking techniques that enhance its flavor without overpowering it, and pan-frying with garlic, parsley, and lemon is a perfect example of this culinary philosophy.