Chef’s tip: how to prepare a perfect fish fillet

Chef Giu Giunti gives advice so that your fish doesn’t dry out or break during preparation

If there’s one dish that can be challenging, it’s pan-fried fish fillet. How not to leave it dry or run the risk of breaking it midway?

The meat of the fish is super delicate. Unlike beef, which requires more cooking and is more resistant, fish cooks quickly, its fibers break easily and, if overcooked, it becomes crumbly.

But a few techniques can help you land the perfect fish fillet. Starting with the weather. You can do it as usual, with salt, black pepper and garlic. Avoid using lemon juice for flavor, opt for the zest of the peel, which adds flavor and has no acidity.

This trend of seasoning fish with lemon is ancient, it was very necessary in times when technology was not so much and the juice was used to mask the smell of the fish. Time has passed, the method of refrigerating and preserving fish has improved, but the palate has already become so accustomed to lemon that it is difficult to give it up! The advice I give you is to use the lemon after the fish is ready to finish with the sauce, so your fillet has less chance of breaking.

To be able to fry, choose pans with non-stick bottoms, so it has less chance of sticking. I really like using butter to fry fish, I think it gives it some extra flavour.

With the pan hot and the butter already melted making a foam, place the fish fillet on it and brown it for at least 2 minutes. If your tenderloin is tall, leave it longer. You will notice that it gets whiter on the sides. With the help of a spatula, carefully turn the fillet and, if necessary, use two spatulas to maneuver. Let the fillet brown on the other side for another 2 minutes. If you want to “check” the fish for tenderness before removing it from the pan, just use a fork and see if the layers come off like flakes. In the kitchen it is said that fish “splinters”, comes off in large pieces and does not “crumble”.

Important tips for success:

• Do not stir or prick the fish fillet during preparation;
• Use an amount of fat that stays around the fish so that the meat is well moistened;
• And finally, use a large spatula to flip the fish in the pan.

Hope your daily fish gets even tastier!

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Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.