My Go-To Fish Cooking Method

If you, like me, enjoy fish, but get tired of the pan-grill then put lemon juice on top method, here is a great change of pace. I cannot remember where I first saw, then used, this method, but I remember liking and and using something like in on the fly since then. So far, I have only used this on fish like salmon or steelhead trout, so I do not know how it would translate onto a more delicate white fish.

Honeyed Fish with a Kick

1. Heat a skillet (cast iron works best) on medium heat.

2. Take your fish fillet, remove skin (if not yet removed). Blot with paper towel to dry so that seasonings can stick to the fish and not the pan.

3. Drizzle the fillet on one side with honey. Don't drench the fish with honey, just a light cover.

4. Sprinkle honeyed fish with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (as many flakes as you like - the more the hotter). Feel free to add whatever fresh or dried herbs you like, I like the pepper flakes against the sweetness of the honey.

5. Add a quick splash of olive oil in your skillet and add fish **honey side down** when oil begins to shimmer.

6. While fish cooks on one side, repeat step 3 & 4 (honey and seasonings) to the uncooked fish side.

7. When cooking side has a good honeyed crust to it (3-5 minutes depending on thickness), flip fish and cook other side. The other side should take about the same amount of time as the first side, maybe a little less.

8. Take off skillet and eat. What you will find is the seasonings have cooked into the honey crust, creating a tender fish with a nice spicy sweet crunch to it.

Good with: mashed potato, risotto, on a salad (spinach would be great), with a salad, green beans, some crusty bread, steamed broccoli with lemon juice, or whatever pleases your palate.

*Special thanks goes to my HEB fishmonger who suggested steelhead trout as a substitute fish after a long season of salmon. Steelhead has a lighter flavor than salmon, but still has a heartiness like salmon.*