Bream are a large family of flat ocean fish that live in both tropical and temperate waters worldwide. In the United States, bream is sometimes referred to as "porgie." Sea bream have a thick white fillet that can be sautéed, broiled or baked, but they are too flaky for grilling. The bream fillets pair well with a variety of traditional seafood seasonings, such as garlic, lemon or parsley, as well as fennel, pernod or saffron. Use your imagination to create the flavor palate that goes well with your meal.
Sautéed
Heat the olive oil over high heat in the skillet. When the oil is hot, add the garlic or fennel, if you are using them, and sauté until the garlic begins to pop in the pan or the fennel is fragrant.
Add the bream fillets and reduce the heat to medium-high. Sauté the sea bream with the skin side down for two minutes. Turn the steaks with the spatula and sauté the other side for an additional minute. When the sea bream fillets are ready to serve, the fillets will be opaque all the way through.
Take the fillets out of the pan and add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the parsley over the fillets and serve them hot with lemon wedges.
Broiled
Preheat the broiler. Brush olive oil over the broiler pan to prevent the fillets from sticking.
Place the sea bream on the broiler pan with the skin side down and sprinkle the lemon juice over the fillets. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Broil the sea bream for six to eight minutes. Do not turn the fillets.
Remove the broiler pan from the oven and sprinkle the fillets with parsley. Serve the sea bream hot with lemon wedges as a garnish.
Baked
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush olive oil over a baking pan.
Place the sea bream fillets in the baking pan and rub the fillets with the garlic, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Bake the sea bream for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, or until the fillets turn opaque and are cooked all the way through.
Take the baking pan out of the oven and sprinkle the parsley over the sea bream fillets. Serve the fillets hot with lemon wedges as a garnish.