PAN-SEARED FISH FILLET

HOW TO MAKE PAN-SEARED FISH FILLET

How many of you have accidentally ruined a delicate fish fillet by attempting to pull it off the pan that it has welded itself to to get rid of it? Indeed, that’s what I had in view.

Do you know the true explanation for why I don’t consume as much fish as I would want to in my diet? It’s not that I don’t like fish—on the contrary, I really like it. It’s not because I don’t have access to nice fish; I used to be able to obtain wonderful fish from the Atlantic when I lived in New York, and now that I am in San Francisco, I can get fantastic fish from the Pacific. It’s not for reasons related to one’s health (no physician has ever cautioned me that I consume too much of it); in fact, they’ve never even crossed my mind.

Yeah, there is only one explanation for this, and I’m going to bet that it’s the same explanation for why many of you don’t consume as much fish as you’d want to: To say that cooking is a chore is an understatement. Even the simplest fish dishes are often more difficult to execute than other types of cuisine, such as preparing chicken or just standing in front of the refrigerator and eating pickles and mayonnaise while feeling a little bit of embarrassment.

Pan-searing, on the other hand, is the method of choice for cooking soft, meaty fillets or steaks of white fish such as halibut, cod, striped bass, or swordfish. Nevertheless, pan-searing has its own set of challenges, the most significant of which is sticking. Fish has a well-deserved reputation for breaking apart when cooked in a pan. This is because when cold proteins come into contact with metal and are then heated, they form chemical bonds with the metal that are very difficult to dismantle. When cooking anything like a steak or a piece of chicken, this is not as big of a concern since the flesh is so tough that it is more likely to adhere to itself than to the pan.

THE INGREDIENTS LIST:

Thick white fish fillets; I used 4 thick. Sea salt and ground black
pepper.

1/2 Cup.Of all-purpose flour.

A beaten large egg.

1 1/2 Cups.Of panko breadcrumbs.

3 Tbsp.Of vegetable or canola oil.

Lemon wedges for serving.

PREPARATION:

First Step

Put a rack in the middle of your oven and warm to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius). Dry the fish well with paper towels, then sprinkle it with salt and pepper.

Second Step

Divide the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs into three small plates or dishes. Lightly sprinkle salt and pepper over each.

Third Step

Lift the fish, presentation side down, and dip it in the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs, pressing hard on each to ensure a thick covering of breadcrumbs adheres. Repeat with the remaining fish, placing each piece on a clean platter breaded side up.

Fourth Step

Over medium heat, bring the oil to a shimmer in a large, deep cast-iron or nonstick pan. After around 5 minutes, while constantly moving the fish around in the pan, add it breaded side down.

Fifth Step

Turn the fish over gently, and place it in the oven. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer put into the thickest section of the fish reads 140°F (60°C). Garnish with tartar sauce or lemon wedges and serve right away.