This might just be my favorite way to prepare fish. When prepared right, skin-on fish is hard to beat with the crispy, delicious crunch you get from cooking the filet skin-side-down for almost the entire cook. For this recipe, I used red snapper, but you can use any fish that has good skin. I love barramundi, salmon, bass, and trout, just to name a few. Serving the fish with cilantro lime rice and brussels is my preferred way of doing so, but you can totally switch things up. Trade the rice for risotto and the brussels for green beans and you will still have a delicious meal!
Ingredients:
4oz Skin on Fish Filet
5 Brussel Sprouts
1/2 cup White Rice
1 small lime
1/4 cup Cilantro
2 tbsp Cooking Oil
2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Old Bay
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Kosher salt and Black Pepper
Directions:
Start the rice. Cook it however you usually cook it, but I like to add it to a cold pot with an equal amount of water, season it with a pinch of kosher salt, and then bring it to a boil, covered. Lower the heat and let it simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Once it's cooked, stir in the zest and juice from one small lime and a tablespoon of butter. Season with salt to taste.
For the brussel sprouts, trim off their bases and peel off the outside layers that will naturally fall off. Cut them into quarters and spread them onto a baking sheet, making sure each brussel has a flat side resting on the sheet. Grease with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes or until the sprouts are softened and lightly charred.
For the fish, season both sides with Old Bay, or your favorite blackening seasoning. DO not be conservative with the seasonings, you want a lot of flavors.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until smoking, then add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Lay in your fish filet, skin side down, and use a spatula to press the filet into the skillet. This helps the skin not curl up, and you can remove the spatula after about thirty seconds. Once you can see the fish is starting to cook all the way up the sides, about 5-6 minutes, flip the fish and let it cook, skin side up, for just about 30 seconds. Let rest under foil.
Serve the fish on a bed of cilantro lime rice with the brussels on the side. Enjoy!