Having already posted – or re-posted – a fun “Santa” blog from last Christmas (“The Day Santa Showed Up for Lunch”), I think I’ll offer a food column for this morning. It’s been a few weeks since I shared something delicious and we’re past due for sure.

I don’t remember having prepared Sea Bass before, but I will certainly do it again. Last night’s dinner was beyond delicious.

The key to fish preparation, in my experience, is fast and fresh. In consequence, everything else should be ready to go ahead of time.

So I got the rice going early. Jasmine rice with celery, onion, and a few almond slivers. I have started making sure rice is fully cooked at least fifteen minutes before serving then letting it sit with a tight lid. Then the veggie mix is a favorite, featuring baby broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts, and soybeans.

I try to vary my sauces every time I cook. The Sea Bass called for something lemony with capers. So I melted butter, stirred in a teaspoon of flour, added milk and sour cream till it thickened, salt and pepper to taste, lemon and more butter, then capers. This was a wonderful complement to the fish.

As for the fish, I sautéed onion with a little garlic in olive oil, then pan fried the Sea Bass about four and a half minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

Simple. Delicious. Low carb. What more could we ask for.

Happy eating – DEREK