SERVES 4
Thick white fish fillets with a meaty texture, like halibut, cod, sea bass, or red snapper, work best in this recipe. Because most fish fillets differ in thickness, some pieces may finish cooking before others—be sure to immediately remove any fillet that reaches 135 degrees. You will need an ovensafe nonstick skillet for this recipe. If you can’t find skinless fillets, click here for information on skinning fillets. Serve with lemon wedges or one of the relishes.
4 |
(6 to 8-ounce) skinless white fish fillets, 1 to 1½ inches thick (see note) |
Table salt and ground black pepper |
|
½ |
teaspoon sugar |
1 |
tablespoon vegetable oil |
Lemon wedges or relish (see note), for serving |
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Dry the fish thoroughly with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon sugar evenly over one side of each fillet. Heat the oil in a 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking. Place the fillets in the skillet, sugared side down, and press down lightly to ensure even contact with the pan. Cook until browned, 1 to 1½ minutes. Using two spatulas, flip the fillets and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast the fillets until the centers are just opaque and the fish registers 135 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 7 to 10 minutes. Immediately transfer the fish to individual plates and serve with lemon wedges or relish.