Grilled Black Bass Fillets with Red Wine, Shallot & Rosemary Compound Butter

Name: Grilled Black Bass Fillets with Red Wine, Shallot & Rosemary Compound Butter
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 3/4 pounds Black Bass Fillets ((4 large)); 1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon sumac spice; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt ((use just before cooking)); 1 stick unsalted organic butter ((1/2 cup) room temperature); 1/2 cup red wine (full bodied); 2 tablespoons fresh shallots (peeled; minced ); 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut palm sugar; 1 sprig fresh rosemary; 1 sprig fresh thyme; 1 teaspoon fresh garlic (peeled and finely grated); 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper; 1/8 teaspoon sea salt; 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves (finely chopped )

By Karen Sheer

5 from 1 vote

Jun 14, 2023

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Seasoned and Grilled Outdoors – the mild, sweet fish holds its shape! Add a slice of Delicious Red Wine Compound Butter and let it melt into delectable sauce

**Grilled Black Bass Fillets with Red Wine, Shallot & Rosemary Compound Butter**

Why I love this recipe:

Perfectly Seasoned Black Bass Fillets served warm with a slice of colorful Red Wine Compound Butter – which melts into the fish and creates a pool of delectable sauce!

How to Cook ~ Method:

Make the Compound Butter:

You will make a red wine reduction with shallots and herbs
This will be blended into softened butter and made into a log using waxed paper
The compound butter will be refrigerated until cold, then sliced onto of the warm “off the grill” fish

Season and Grill the Fish:

Rub the fillets with EVOO
Add seasonings and rub into the flesh
Grill over medium- hight heat, turning until very golden
Immediately add a 1/2” slice of cold Compound Butter – will melt and become a delicious sauce

Wild Caught Black Bass Fillets from The Local Catch bought at Greenwich CT Farmer’s Market
Hint: To insure your fish does not curl on the grill – cut 3 small diagonal slits on the skin side of each fillet… or you can gently press the fillets on the grill with a metal spatula.

Many Saturdays I am roaming the Greenwich CT farmer’s market shopping for the freshest local ingredients straight from the farmer – and always stop at The Local Catch for fish.
Coming from Narragansett, RI – the fish was “just caught”… can’t find better quality!

Off the grill - Seasoned Black Bass Fillets — **Off the grill – Seasoned Black Bass Fillets**

I use a grill mat to insure the fish fillets do not stick to the grates of the grill – and the turn easily too!

Ingredients for Red Wine Compound Butter with Shallots & Rosemary – *the reduction will be simply combined with the butter*

mixing the Red Wine Compound Butter with Shallots & Rosemary — Mixing the Red Wine with Shallots Reduction into the softened butter for the Compound Butter – *really super-easy*

**Add the mixed compound butter to a sheet of waxed paper, and roll into a tight cylinder**

The rolled Compound Butter ready to refrigerate until cold and firm — The rolled Compound Butter ready to refrigerate until cold – *or can be refrigerated; cut into 1/3″ slices and frozen for longer storage*

If you freeze the entire log – place in the refrigerator 24 hours before you intend to use it for easy slicing.

**Serve the fish over a quick Cucumber & Corn Salad**

Let’s Talk Fish:

Black Bass fillets work so well in this recipe and on the grill! The skin-on fillets are meaty and stay firm on the grill.

Black sea bass has pure white flesh that is very rich with a sweet, buttery & delicate flavor
The raw meat is pale and translucent, turning bright white when cooked
It’s highly versatile, both in manner of cooking and the flavors it can accompany
The fish will remind you of Bronzino and Striped Bass (both can be used in this recipe successfully)
Compared to Striped Bass – Black Sea Bass is a firmer fleshed fish with less oil, but has a similar mild flavor
Black sea bass is considered by experts to be a “Smart Seafood Choice”, sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under US regulations
An excellent sources of two omega-3 fatty acids – these fatty acids help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering blood pressure and reducing levels of cholesterol
A good low-fat source of protein and magnesium

Unlike Striped Bass, which winters in rivers and estuaries, Black Sea Bass purely swim in the ocean. Commonly found from Massachusetts to Florida, the greatest populations are caught off Mid-Atlantic States’ coasts.

While it’s getting harder to score big catches of winter flounder, fluke, cod and blackfish in Northeast waters, the robust stock of black sea bass has filled the void, even offering a great alternative for headboats targeting stripers and bluefish. “The black sea bass population is exploding in southern New England,”
From New Jersey to southern Massachusetts, where they’re now most dense. Credit: Salt Water Sportsman

Enjoy!
Let me know what you think!
Karen

A great Grill Mat! A fabulous meat/fish Thermometer/ digital
The one I use: The one I use!