Food Recipes Crispy-Skinned Fish Fillets Recipe Be the first to rate & review! A lot of cooks will say they don’t know how to cook fish, but that’s a cover up for the real reason: it can be intimidating to sear skin-on fish fillets. No longer: thanks to this foolproof method, perfectly crispy skin can be yours. The key is in following the steps to the letter—starting with patting the fish dry, actually following the timing, and giving the fillets enough heat and room in the pan to crisp up nicely. Keeping the skin-side down for 4 minutes is essential to getting the right amount of golden-brown color, so use a timer and trust! By Dawn Perry Dawn Perry Dawn is the author of Ready, Set, Cook; How to Make Good Food With What's on Hand. She served as the food director for Real Simple and has worked in the test kitchens of Everyday Food, Bon Appétit, and the meal kit delivery service Martha & Marley Spoon. Dawn is the author of Short Stack Editions' Cucumbers and her recipes and writing have been featured in the LA Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post among other publications. She recently started Superkind Cookies, a premium cookie company shipping treats nationwide. Highlights: * Author of Ready, Set, Cook; How to Make Good Food With What's on Hand. * Former food director for Real Simple * Worked in the test kitchens of Everyday Food, Bon Appétit, and Martha & Marley Spoon * Recipes and writing have been featured in the LA Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 15, 2019 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Greg DuPree Hands On Time: 15 mins Total Time: 15 mins Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 4 4- to 6-oz. skin-on fish fillets, such as striped bass, branzino, or mackerel ½ teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided Lemon slices, for serving (optional) Directions Pat fish dry and season with salt. Heat a large skillet over medium-high until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil; swirl skillet to coat. Carefully add 2 fillets, skin side down (lay them away from you to avoid spattering). Shake skillet to prevent sticking. Press firmly on each fillet to help skin make contact with skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until edges are golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate, skin side up. Repeat with remaining oil and fish. Serve fish with lemon slices, if using, or one of the sauces ahead. Rate it Print