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four pieces of fried fish on a white plate with cilantro

How to Fry Fish in a Pan


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5 from 12 reviews

Description

Is fish on regular rotation in your house? If not, it absolutely should be for many many reasons. This Pan Fried Fish is the perfect recipe to try whether you’re a fish-newbie or a seasoned fish-pro. It’s ready in under 20 minutes.


Ingredients

Scale

4 fish fillets, such as cod or tilapia, about 5 ounces each, patted dry
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup rice flour or all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoons avocado oil or organic canola oil
1 cup purchased Pineapple Salsa (preferably refrigerated) or Caper Sauce (recipe below)


Instructions

  1. Lay fish on work surface or plate. Sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Place rice flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the fish in the flour and shake to remove excess.
  3. Melt butter in a large skillet in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and then carefully add fish fillets. Cook, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent the butter from burning. Carefully flip the fish over when it is golden on the bottom, 1 to 3 minutes.
  4. Continue cooking until the fish is opaque all the way through, 30 seconds to 2 minutes longer, depending on thickness.
  5. Serve immediately with pineapple salsa or transfer to a plate and tent with foil while making the caper sauce.

Notes

Pineapple salsa can be found with refrigerated tortillas and guacamole in the deli section of large supermarkets and health food stores. If you can’t find it fresh, it will be with the jarred salsas. Go with a brand that has less than 80 mg sodium per serving (like Desert Pepper Trading Company’s Pineapple Salsa) and is made without added sugar or with added sugar further down on the ingredient list. The further down it is, the less there is.

Tip: To Make Caper Sauce: Wipe out skillet but do not wash it. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons chopped shallot, and cook until the shallot is tender, about 1 minute. Add the ½ cup white wine, increase heat to high and cook until the sauce is reduced to a glaze, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon butter. Add 2 teaspoons chopped capers and two tablespoons parsley and 1 tablespoons butter and swirl the pan. Serve the fish with the sauce.

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Sauté
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 filet fish and 2 tablespoons sauce
  • Calories: 162
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Sodium: 879 mg
  • Fat: 7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 8 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 18 g
  • Cholesterol: 79 mg
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