Seared Crispy-Skin Black Bass
- 4 6-ounce wild black bass fillets
- Kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Take the fish out of the fridge 10 to 15 minutes before youre ready to cook.
- Pat the skin dry with a paper towel and season on both sides with salt.
- Coat a large saute pan generously with olive oil and bring it to high heat, almost smoking.
- Coat the UNDERNEATH of another smaller saute pan with olive oil.
- Place the fish fillets skin side down in the larger pan and gently place the other saute pan directly on top of the fish.
- The purpose of this is to gently press the skin of the fish onto the bottom of the larger pan to create a lovely, even, crispy skin.
- (The first thing fish skin wants to do is stick to the pan, and the first thing cooks want to do is move it.
- Resist the urge; it will unstick itself when its ready.
- This is where patience comes inif you try to move it before its ready, the fish skin will win every time.)
- After a couple minutes, remove the top saute pan to allow the steam to escape and the skin to get really crispy.
- As the fish cooks it turns from translucent to opaquethe idea is to cook the fish two-thirds of the way through on the skin side and then flip it over for the last third of the cooking time.
- The rule for fish is 7 to 8 minutes per inch of thickness, a little less if you like your fish on the rare side.
wild black bass, kosher salt, extra virgin olive oil
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/seared-crispy-skin-black-bass-378195 (may not work)