This is a chef’s favourite producing crispy skin on the outside and flaky, moist flesh inside in a matter of minutes. It is favoured because of the contrasting textures of the skin and flesh, getting the most out of the fish flavour and easily accompanied with complementing lemon wedges or one of our favourite sauces. It works best for thin fish fillets with flavourful skin such as red snapper, salmon, and sea bass. Avoid tough-skinned and thick fillets of species such as tuna and swordfish which are best cooked and enjoyed without skin.
Step 1: Get prepared:
• Dry fillets completely using paper towels;
• Make shallow incisions on sides of the of the fillets to prevent curling and to promote even cooking;
• Choose a pan that distributes heat evenly—cast-iron, stainless-steel, and heavy non stick models work best;
Step 2: Cooking
• Bring the pan up to temperature, over medium-high heat, before adding a thin slick of oil.
• Season each fillet with salt and pepper and any other spices in your recipe. Do not salt early as salt draws moisture out and may lead to the flesh losing its moist flakiness.
• Add the fillets to the hot pan, skin down. If using a cast-iron or stainless-steel pan, the skin may stick at first, because proteins bond with the metal surface – do not panic. As the proteins set the fillets will release on their own.
• Gently agitate the pan to keep the fillet moving and prevent burning. List periodically to inspect the level of crispiness you want.
• When happy with the crispness level, turn the fillets over to cook the flesh side. Do not overcook. For most fillets one minute is enough. If the flesh is thicker insert a skewer into the centre and check its heat level on your lip. If cold continue cooking, if warm it is done. Remember some level of cooking continues with residual heat up to serving. Serve as a professional!