Seafood lovers know that fish skin, especially on white-fleshed fish like sea bass, might be the best part when cooked right. This method makes the skin come out crackly crisp.
Instructions
1. Start with cleaned, boneless fish fillets, as fresh as you can get them. See Tips for which fish work best.
2. Make sure the skin is completely free of scales. Do this by scraping it with the edge of a sharp knife. Rinse any scales away.
3. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels. The skin must be dried out as much as possible before cooking.
4. Use the knife to press down gently on the fish skin and drag it across to pull up and scrape off as much moisture as possible.
5. Cut the fillets into 4-inch pieces. This method works best with smaller pieces of fish.
6. Pour a layer of kosher salt on a plate and press the skin side of each fillet down on it. The salt will draw out extra moisture. Leave the fillets there until ready to cook, but no more than an hour. Season the tops very lightly with salt and black pepper.
7. When ready to cook, use the knife blade to again scrape the fish skin, this time to remove all the salt and any accumulated water.
8. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Use enough oil to thinly coat the entire bottom of the pan.
9. Add the fillets skin side down and turn the heat up slightly. Weigh them down gently with a small plate or other object so that the skin is pressed against the floor of the pan.
10. Make sure the fillets are spaced well apart.
11. Remove the weight after about a minute, and keep cooking the fish another 2 to 4 minutes, until only the top is uncooked.
12. Flip them over and shut off the heat. Let residual heat slowly finish cooking the fish for about 30 to 60 seconds. Too much heat will create too much steam.
13. Remove the fish and serve.
Tags: fish skin, cooking fish, down gently, Make sure, ready cook