Lime-Pepita Crusted Sea Bass with Warm Poblano Corn Cream and Sautéed Nopales

Name: Lime-Pepita Crusted Sea Bass with Warm Poblano Corn Cream and Sautéed Nopales
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexicana contemporanea
Ingredients: 24 oz sea bass fillets; 3.2 oz pumpkin seeds; 2 tsp lime zest; 3 tbsp lime juice; 3/4 cup fresh cilantro; 0.4 oz garlic; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 3/4 tsp black pepper; 2 cups corn kernels; 4.2 oz poblano pepper; 3.5 oz white onion; 1 cup vegetable broth; 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut cream; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 10.6 oz cooked nopales; 2.8 oz red onion; 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Sea bass fillets seared and finished with a crunchy pumpkin seed, lime zest, and cilantro crust, served over a warm poblano corn cream with sautéed nopales and red onion. This original dish offers contrasting textures, fresh flavor, and an elegant yet approachable profile.

25 minPrep

25 minCook

50 minTotal

4Servings

Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

4 filetes / 680 g 680 g sea bass fillets (skinless, of approx. 170 g each uno)
90 g 90 g pumpkin seeds (tostadas, unsalted)
2 cucharaditas 2 tsp lime zest (of 2 limas)
45 ml 45 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed)
20 g 20 g fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
3 dientes / 12 g 12 g garlic (2 cloves for the crust and 1 for the nopales, chopped)
45 ml 45 ml olive oil (divided)
8 g 8 g salt (or to taste)
2 g 2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
300 g 300 g corn kernels (fresh or descongelado)
1 pieza / 120 g 120 g poblano pepper (asado, pelado and in strips)
100 g 100 g white onion (chopped)
240 ml 240 ml vegetable broth (low sodium)
120 ml 120 ml unsweetened coconut cream (for dar cremosidad)
1 g 1 g ground cumin (for the cream)
300 g 300 g cooked nopales (in strips)
80 g 80 g red onion (en pluma fina)
1 g 1 g dried oregano (for the nopales)

Nutrition facts

per serving

486 kcal

Calories

36 g

Protein

18 g

Carbs

30 g

Fat

4.5 g

Fiber

13.5 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Fish

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Pat the sea bass fillets dry with paper towels and season them with 4 g salt, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of lime juice.
2
Place the pumpkin seeds, lime zest, 2 minced garlic cloves, half of the cilantro, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a processor. Pulse until you get a coarse, moist crumb, not a paste.
3
Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear the sea bass for 1 minute per side, just until lightly colored. Remove the skillet from the heat.
4
Press the pepita mixture onto the top of each fillet. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 220 °C / 425 °F, until the fish is cooked through and the crust is golden.
5
While the fish bakes, place the poblano pepper directly over a flame or under the oven broiler until the skin is charred. If using the broiler, roast at 245 °C / 475 °F for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once. Peel off the charred skin and cut the poblano into strips.
6
In a medium saucepan, sauté the white onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add 200 g of the corn, the poblano, the cumin, and a pinch of salt. Cook 2 minutes more.
7
Add the vegetable broth and coconut cream to the saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Blend until smooth and return to the saucepan. Stir in the remaining 100 g corn and cook 2 minutes more. Adjust with the remaining lime juice and salt to taste.
8
In another skillet, heat the last tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and the remaining garlic clove; cook for 2 minutes. Add the nopales and oregano, season with a pinch of salt, and sauté for 4 minutes until hot and lightly browned.
9
To serve, spoon the warm poblano corn cream onto each plate. Top with the sautéed nopales and set a crusted sea bass fillet on top. Finish with the remaining fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Chef tips

Lightly toast the pumpkin seeds before processing for deeper flavor. For a more even crust, press it onto the fish while it is still warm from searing.

Substitutions

You can use snapper, grouper, or fresh cod instead of sea bass. Nopales can be replaced with sautéed zucchini, though the flavor profile will change. If you do not have coconut cream, use another unsweetened plant-based cream.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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