Fish intimidates a lot of home cooks because the window between perfectly cooked and dried out is so narrow. But once you learn to read the signs and stop cooking a touch early, it becomes one of the fastest, easiest dinners you can make.
Dry it and season it
Pat the fillet completely dry before it touches the pan. A wet surface steams and will not brown or crisp. Season it just before cooking; salt it too early and it draws out moisture. If the skin is on, that dried skin is your best friend for a crisp finish.
Hot pan, mostly one side
- Get the pan and oil properly hot before the fish goes in.
- Lay the fillet down skin-side or presentation-side first and leave it alone.
- Cook most of the way on the first side, then flip for just a short finish.
Pull it early
Fish carries a lot of residual heat and keeps cooking off the pan. Take it off just before it looks done. It is ready when it turns opaque and the flakes just begin to separate when you nudge them with a fork. If you wait until it looks fully cooked through, it will be dry by the time you eat it. A squeeze of lemon at the end is all most fish needs.