A white plate white 2 pieces of fish, one sliced and one whole with crisp skin attached. Garnished with slices of lemon, lime, and parsley.

4.75 / 4 votes

Pan-Seared Fish Fillet

Pan seared fish fillet. It's what's for dinner. Pronto. And so easy to make and tastes so darn delectable with its lemon butter sauce that you're going to completely forget it's good for you. Here's how to make it.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Mains

Cuisine: American

Servings: to 2 servings

Calories: 358

Ingredients

▢ 1 (8 oz) fish fillet, such as cod, snapper, sea bass, or salmon, with the skin on
▢ Ghee or grapeseed oil
▢ 1 to 2 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter (optional)
▢ 1/2 lemon
▢ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

US - Metric

Instructions

Set a heavy cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking, about 3 minutes.
While the skillet is heating, wash the fillet, then pat it really dry with paper towels. The drying part is critical, otherwise, the skin won’t get crisp. Season both sides of the fish fillet with salt and black pepper.
When the skillet is hot, carefully add just enough ghee or oil to evenly coat the skillet. Wait a few seconds for the oil to heat and then quickly add the fish, skin side down. The fillet will contract and curve upwards. When this happens, take a flexible spatula and press the entire fillet gently back down and hold for a few seconds to ensure even cooking and crisp skin all over. Let the fish cook without messing with it too much until you can see a golden brown color on the edge of the skin and the edges of the fish flesh become opaque, 3 to 4 minutes.
Carefully and gently use a spatula to lift up the fillet and flip it over. Add the butter, if using, and baste the fish until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
Gently transfer the fish to a plate and serve with a squeeze of lemon.

Notes

*What is ghee?

Ghee, which originated in ancient India, is a form of clarified butter (butter that’s been simmered to remove all the water). But unlike regular clarified butter, ghee has been cooked longer, allowing the milk solids to caramelize. As well, it has a higher smoke point and makes it much more shelf-stable. The cooking process also removes lactose, making it perfect for anyone with lactose intolerance.

The flavor is richer, nuttier, and with a slightly sweeter, grassy taste. Ghee can be used in most of the same ways that butter can be, but perhaps its best application is as a finishing oil. Drizzled over roasted vegetables, rice, fish–anything that would benefit from some flavor and richness.

Nutrition