Sea bass
Dicentrarchus labrax · Fish
Top 10 pairings
A silver Mediterranean fish, sold as branzino or loup de mer and now mostly farmed. Its lean, fine-flaked white flesh is mild and gently sweet. Cooks bake it whole in a salt crust, grill it or slice it raw as crudo.
Picking a good onedrag
Just landed: bright eyes, smells of the seaOff: milky eyes, soft, sour smell
Counter freshBuy itCook to 63 C/145 F at its thickest. Thawed fish may look dull but must smell fresh.
Eyes and gills, whole fishEyes slightly sunken; gills paler
Skin and its slimeLosing lustre; slime a bit cloudy
Press the fleshLess elastic, still springs back
Smell at gills or fleshNeutral, the sea smell gone quiet