We love seafood at our house and I’m always looking for new types of fish to prepare. Recently I discovered Barramundi at one of my local seafood outlets and thought I’d give it a try, and I must say it was a delicious surprise.
I had some fresh clams on hand and always have a stock of shrimp in the freezer so decided to make a little bit of a combo using shellfish.
Needless to say, it was amazing! You can of course just serve the Barramundi by itself but the broth the clams made while steaming open and the sweet flavor of the shrimp was a perfect complement to the clean, buttery flavor and meaty texture of the Barramundi.
What ingredients do I need to make Pan-Seared Barramundi with Clams & Shrimp?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Pan-Seared Barramundi with Clams & Shrimp. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
If you have leftover clams, you can use them up in my tasty clams casino recipe.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Do I have to add Clams and Shrimp to this dish?
No, you don’t. You can leave them out altogether or add mussels, scallops or lobster to the dish as well.
What other fish would work well with this recipe?
Just about any fish, you can think of that can be pan-seared. Some of my other favorites are:
- Mahi-Mahi
- Red Snapper
- Salmon
- Halibut
- Grouper
How do I make Pan-Seared Baramundi with Clams & Shrimp?
Start by cooking the clams and shrimp.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and saute for 30-60 seconds (don’t let it burn).
Add the clams, shrimp, and crushed red pepper to the pan and cover. Allow the seafood to cook until the clams have steamed open.
When the clams have fully opened (5-7 minutes) the shrimp will be cooked. Add a sprinkle of chopped parsley to the pan.
**You can cover the clams and shrimp to keep them warm if the barramundi isn’t ready.
Rinse the barramundi fillets, pat dry with paper towels, and season with sea salt and black pepper.
Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add a little oil to the hot pan and place the barramundi seasoned side down in the pan.
Let the fish sear for about 2-3 minutes, then gently turn the filets over. Allow the fish to continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Do I have to pan sear the Barramundi?
No, you don’t. You can easily cook the fish in a 350-degree oven for 15-18 minutes (depending upon the thickness of the fish). Use your favorite seasonings to make the dish something you and your family will truly
Using a spatula lift the fish out of the pan and place in a bowl or on a plate. Add the broth from the clams into the bowl with the barramundi.
*I like using a bowl because the broth from the clams helps keep the fish moist and adds flavor and it presents really well.
Add the clams and shrimp to the bowl and garnish with chopped red pepper and parsley. Add a lemon slice on top of the fish and you have a picture-perfect restaurant-style seafood dish!
Wouldn’t your family and friends be impressed with this easy-to-make and oh so flavorful dish?
Recipe FAQ’s
Barramundi is also referred to as the Asian sea bass. It’s a species of catadromous fish in the family Latidae of the order Perciformes. It’s been a common replacement for Chilean Sea Bass and is found in the Australian, New Guinea waters.
Barramundi is a mild white fish that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, healthy fats, protein, vitamin D, vitamin A, sodium, and potassium. These fish also seem to have a relatively low content of harmful chemicals like mercury and PCBs
Barramundi is a mild-tasting white fish. It has a clean, buttery flavor with a succulent and meaty texture. It offers a silky mouthfeel and delicate skin that crisps perfectly when seared.
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Pan-Seared Barramundi with Clams & Shrimp
Ingredients
- 12 ounces barramundi fillets 2 fillets
- sea salt seson to taste
- black pepper season to taste
- 16 clams little necks
- 6 shrimp 21-25 count shell on
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon shallots
- ½ teaspoon garlic
- ⅕ teaspoon crushed red pepper more or less to taste
- teaspoon Italian parsley finely chopped for garnish
- 1 tablespoon red bell pepper finely chopped for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and saute for 30-60 seconds (don’t let it burn).
- Add the clams, shrimp, and crushed red pepper to the pan and cover. Allow the seafood to cook until the clams have steamed open.
- When the clams have fully opened (5-7 minutes) the shrimp will be cooked. Add a sprinkle of chopped parsley to the pan.**You can cover the clams and shrimp to keep them warm if the barramundi isn’t ready.
- Rinse the barramundi fillets, pat dry with paper towels, and season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add a little oil to the hot pan and place the barramundi seasoned side down in the pan.Let the fish sear for about 2-3 minutes, then gently turn the filets over. Allow the fish to continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Using a spatula lift the fish out of the pan and place in a bowl or on a plate. Add the broth from the clams into the bowl with the barramundi.*I like using a bowl because the broth from the clams helps keep the fish moist and adds flavor and it presents really well.
- Add the clams and shrimp to the bowl and garnish with chopped red pepper and parsley. Add a lemon slice on top of the fish and you have a picture perfect restaurant style seafood dish!
- Serve and enjoy
Marisa Franca
We have two seafood nights a week and this recipe was such a welcome relief to the plain sautéed fish we’ve been having. The clam juice really added a delicious touch to the barramundi. I had to do a bit of search before I could find the filets but the search was worth it. It’s such a mild fish. I’ll be making this recipe again for our seafood loving friends.
Ramona
I love seafood so much and my family does as well, so this recipe would be perfect for dinner this afternoon! I am glad to have all the ingredients to this recipe and I cant wait to make this! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Tristin
Mmm, we are seafood lovers over here, also. My family is going to love this Barramundi with Clams & Shrimp.
Marie
This looks like such an aromatic dish! I love how easy it is to make, yet is so elegant. I’d be glad to serve this to company with a loaf of crusty bread and a nice bottle of white wine!