Roasted Black Sea Bass Fusilli
Recipes
Roasted Black Sea Bass Fusilli
October 23rd, 2025
Brian Bornemann, Crudo e Nudo
This dish is all about building depth and balance. The key is layering flavor with a rich homemade fish stock as the base. Emulsification is crucial here—pasta water and a good, vigorous toss bring everything together into a silky, luscious sauce. Fresh herbs and bright lemon cut through the richness, adding just the right touch of brightness to the savory base.
Ingredients
For the Fish Stock:
- Seremoni Grade Black Seabass bones and head (from fish preparation)
- Fennel tops
- Scallions
For the Dish:
- 2 Seremoni Grade Black Sea Bass fillets
- 250g high-quality fusilli pasta
- 1 small fennel bulb, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, sliced
- Pinch of red chili flakes
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cups roasted fish stock (from above)
- 1/4 cup cold butter
- Handful of sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- Large handful fresh basil
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Heat oven to 450°F with a cast iron pan inside.
To make the fish, simmer black bass bones and head with fennel tops and scallions for 20-25 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and set aside.
In a large sauté pan, sweat the diced fennel, yellow onion, and sliced garlic with a pinch of chili flakes until translucent. Add white wine and reduce. Add 2 cups of the roasted fish stock and 1/4 cup cold butter.
Season the black bass fillets and roast them skin-side down in the hot cast iron pan for 8-10 minutes, or until fully cooked. Remove and let rest to room temperature.
Boil the fusilli in well-salted water according to package directions, or slightly before al dente. Reserve pasta water if needed.
Flake the cooked black bass meat off the skin and set aside.
Turn the fish stock mixture to high heat and add the cooked fusilli. Add the julienned sun-dried tomatoes and cook, swirling to prevent sticking, until the sauce is almost fully reduced around the noodles.
Toss the pasta vigorously in the pan to emulsify the sauce onto the noodles—no sauce should remain in the pan. While tossing, add the flaked bass meat, a large squeeze of lemon juice, lemon zest, and a generous handful of fresh basil.
Serve and enjoy.