James Peterson's Baked Fish Fillets with Butter and Sherry Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is often done to a fillet of fish before it is sautéed? ›

Seasoning fish with salt 15-20 minutes before cooking it firms up the flesh and focuses the flavor. When sautéing skin-on fillets over any level of heat, they are prone to curling because connective tissues just beneath the skin arch away from the heat.

Brush both sides of frozen fish with olive, canola, peanut or grapeseed oil. Place fish in heated pan and cook, uncovered, about 3 minutes, until browned. Turn fish over, season with spices, and cover the skillet tightly. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 6 to 8 minutes more until opaque throughout.

Pat them dry, seasoning them as you desire. Place the seasoned frozen fish fillets in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Leave at least an inch of space between each fillet. Put the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the fish for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Sauté or pan fry

Firm fish, such as cod or halibut, may also be cut into strips and stir fried. Heat 1/4-inch oil or butter in a nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Fish may be dipped in milk or beaten egg and then breaded. Cook fish 4 to 5 minutes per side (per inch of thickness) or until done.

Butter has a higher fat content, so it will provide more moisture and flavor when cooking fish fillets. Olive oil has a lower fat content but is packed with healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamins, so it's a great choice if you're looking for a healthier option.

Over-cooking fish might result in dry, tough meat that is unsuitable for consumption. To avoid this, do not cook it for too long or at a high temperature. Instead, cook on low heat until the meat flakes easily with a fork.

Give your frozen fish a quick rinse and thorough drying

This will remove the thin layer of ice crystals on the outside of the filet that would otherwise prevent the outside from browning. Once you rinse them, make sure to thoroughly dry them with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.

White fish is generally less delicate to cook from frozen as it is leaner, so you can bake, grill, poach, steam or even pan-fry – if you're being careful and removing any excess water. We would still suggest choosing recipes where the fish is gently cooked so everything can be evenly cooked.

It's true, you don't! You can skip the thawing process altogether and cook frozen fish straight from the freezer. You'll have to add a few minutes to the cook time in your recipe to account for the lack of thawing, but you can poach, steam, bake, broil, or grill fish straight from the freezer!

Turning fish certainly can be tricky because it's so delicate. But if you roast fish, it doesn't need to be turned. Roasting just means cooking something in a hot oven. When you roast fish, or anything else, the hot air circulates all around, cooking all sides.

What temperature do you bake frozen fish at? ›

Oven-baked: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the frozen fish in a baking dish and season with your choice of herbs, spices, and vegetables. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. Pan-fried: Heat a little oil in a pan over medium-high heat.

A little bit of white wine or chicken stock in the pan (just to barely cover the bottom) will add flavor and ensure moistness. Or, instead of vegetables and liquid, coat the fish lightly with a little flour, herbs and breadcrumbs and turn throughout the cooking process to crisp.

If you have thin fillets, you can pan fry them in butter and lemon. Thicker fish, like salmon, you can bake in a hot oven. You can bread fish, baste with teriyaki sauce, blacken them. What are some of the best methods of preparing fish, and what are some of the best fish to prepare (taste, texture, etc.)?

Fish is prepared in four stages: scaling, trimming, gutting and, if necessary, filleting. Fish is generally scaled before it is gutted, as it is easier to scale if the belly is slightly rounded. The tools used are a fish scaler or the back of a knife.

Prepare the fish by rinsing and patting dry, without squeezing the delicate fish flesh. Salt and pepper both sides of the fish. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a medium saute pan. Cook's Note: Do not use a nonstick pan.