Fish Of The Day Recipe

Prep the fish

Pat the fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides and the skin lightly with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dust the flesh side with 3 tbs flour, shaking off excess; do not flour the skin side.

Heat the pan

Place a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tbs olive oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking (about 1–2 minutes).

Sear skin-side down

Carefully add the fillets to the hot pan, skin-side down, pressing gently with a spatula for 10–15 seconds to ensure even contact. Cook skin-side down without moving until the skin is crisp and the fish is cooked about two-thirds of the way through (about 4–6 minutes depending on thickness).

Finish with butter and oven (optional)

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 2 tbs unsalted butter to the pan and spoon the melted butter over the tops of the fillets 3–4 times. If fillets are thick, transfer the pan to a 180°C (350°F) oven for 4–6 minutes to finish cooking; otherwise continue on stovetop until an instant-read thermometer reads 52–54°C (125–130°F) for medium doneness. Remove fish to a warm plate and loosely tent with foil.

Sauté aromatics

In the same pan used for the fish (wipe out excess oil if there's too much, but keep any browned bits), return to medium heat and add 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil. Add 1 finely minced shallot and 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 1–2 minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Deglaze

Add 60 ml dry white wine (or fish stock) to deglaze the pan, scraping up brown bits with a wooden spoon. Let it simmer briskly until reduced by about half (1–2 minutes).

Finish sauce

Lower the heat to low. Stir in 45 ml fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest. Whisk in 2 tbs chilled cubed unsalted butter one cube at a time to emulsify and slightly thicken the sauce. Stir in 2 tbs chopped parsley and 1 tbs chopped dill or chives. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust lemon, salt, or herbs as needed.

Hold warm

Keep the sauce warm on very low heat until ready to plate. If sauce thickens too much, whisk in 1–2 tbs warm water to loosen consistency.

Cook the vegetables

While the fish rests, heat 1 tbs olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add 1 thinly sliced garlic clove and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add 200 g halved cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add 300 g baby spinach and toss until wilted, about 1–2 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm until plating.

Plate

Place a portion of the wilted spinach and tomatoes on each plate. Gently set a fish fillet on top, skin-side up for crisp presentation.

Sauce and garnish

Spoon 1–2 tbs of the warm citrus-herb sauce over each fillet and a little around the plate. Garnish with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of microgreens or extra chopped herbs if using.

Serve immediately while fish is warm and skin is crisp.