Tapenade-Crusted Sea Bass

• Recipe by Grace Parisi

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup black olive tapenade
2. 1 teaspoon capers, finely chopped
3. Four 6–ounce skinless sea bass fillets
4. 4 teaspoons dry bread crumbs
5. 2 1/2 tablespoons extra–virgin olive oil
6. Salt and freshly ground pepper
7. Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the broiler and position a rack 6 inches from the heat. In a small bowl, mix the tapenade with the capers. Spread the tapenade on one side of the sea bass fillets. Sprinkle each fillet with 1 teaspoon of the bread crumbs and drizzle them with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large, ovenproof, nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the fillets, tapenade side up, and cook over high heat until lightly browned around the edges, about 2 minutes. Broil until the crumbs are golden and the fish is just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the sea bass to plates with a spatula and serve with lemon wedges.