Crispy Skin Fish Recipe
It’s so easy once you get the hang of it.
Fish ingredients:
fish fillets
kosher salt
2 tablespoons clarified butter or canola oil
Fish method:
have your fish descaled if needed. See notes here.
cut your fish into uniform pieces.
salt your fish early in day or the night before. Start by salting the flesh side of the fish lightly. Then turn over and salt the skin side more heavily.
put on rack in refrigerator skin side up.
An hour before cooking, take fish out of the refrigerator.
heat your pan medium high heat. Add your fat (either clarified butter or canola oil) and heat to the point right before or at the smoking. Add fish skin side down. Make sure you hear the sizzle sound. if you don’t, wait a bit longer. Do not over crowd the pan.
press down the center of the fish with a spatula to ensure the center of the skin also gets crispy.
cook approximately 3 minutes, checking after two minutes to see how it is looking. During this time, arroser (baste) the fish by tilting the pan and spooning the fat from the bottom of the pan over the fish. Do this a few times until you see the color change on the flesh side of the fish. This will start the cooking process on the flesh side.
once you are happy with the crispiness, turn the fish over, turn off the heat and move pan off of the hot burner. Do NOT cover the pan.
let the fish rest in the hot pan for 5 to 7 minutes depending on size and thickness of fish. If you feel like the fish is overcooking, take the fish out of the pan and let it rest on a plate.
garnish the top with dry herbs and lemon zest. If you want the skin to be crispy, do not put a sauce on top of the fish, but under the fish.
aioli Recipe
My ingredients list has approximate amounts. Each step you can try and see if you want more oil, more lemon juice, more salt, etc.
Aioli ingredients:
one egg yolk
1t. dijon mustard
1 to 2 garlic cloves
salt
fresh lemon juice
approx 1/3 cup olive oil
approx 1/3 cup grapeseed oil (or all olive oil)
1-2 teaspoons of warm water
Aioli method:
bring the egg to room temperature and separate the yolk from the white.
make a paste with one or two garlic cloves and salt. You can either use a knife by chopping, salting, chop more, then press down on the garlic with the side of the knife and rock it back and forth.
- or you can use a mortar and pestle to make a paste.in medium size bowl, add garlic paste, 1 or more teaspoons of dijon mustard, the egg yolk and whisk together until totally combined.
have a damp towel to go around the bowl to keep it in place.
slowly add a drop of olive oil while whisking, and another few drops while whisking… do this a few times until it is combined. Then start a slow stream of the oil in the bowl while continuously whisking. Your stream of oil can start to become thicker or faster once the binding has started. Keep taking a break of adding the oil and whisk to make sure it isn’t separating. Then whisk in more until you like the taste. The amount of oil is up to you, and the flavor of the oil is up to you. Taste along the way.
whisk in 1/4 to 1/2 of a the juice of a fresh lemon and more salt if needed.
finish with whisking in a teaspoon or two of warm water for consistency.
lemon caper beurre blanc sauce
This is a very luscious sauce !
ingredients:
one shallot minced
olive oil
2-3 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 heaping teaspoons capers drained
zest of one lemon
white wine (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup)
butter (about 6-7 tablespoons)
salt
method:
in saucepan, heat olive oil and shallots until shallots are translucent.
add the white wine vinegar, capers and lemon zest and cook down until almost evaporated. keep a close eye on it.
add wine. Simmer until almost a syrup consistency, 10 minutes or so.
turn burner to lowest setting (low simmer). If you don’t have a low simmer, turn off. Start whisking one cube of butter in at a time. Continue whisking and continue adding butter until it’s a nice consistency. Taste for acidy and fat balance. If too acidic, add more butter.
add salt for taste.
strain for a beautiful silky texture, or leave with shallots and capers in sauce.
