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Tips & adviceHow to

How to cook crispy-skinned fish like a chef

Dani Valent
Dani Valent

Before cooking, place filleted, scaled fish skin-side down on kitchen paper and leave it to dry out in the fridge for two hours.
1 / 10Before cooking, place filleted, scaled fish skin-side down on kitchen paper and leave it to dry out in the fridge for two hours.Supplied
Flip it so the skin is facing up and leave it for another hour.
2 / 10Flip it so the skin is facing up and leave it for another hour.Supplied
Preheat a heavy-based pan (Cooke uses cast iron) and add a thin layer of olive oil. Heat the pan until it's very hot but not smoking.
3 / 10Preheat a heavy-based pan (Cooke uses cast iron) and add a thin layer of olive oil. Heat the pan until it's very hot but not smoking.Supplied
Season the skin with salt and place the fish skin-side down in the pan.
4 / 10Season the skin with salt and place the fish skin-side down in the pan.Supplied
Press it down gently to stop it from curling.
5 / 10Press it down gently to stop it from curling.Supplied
Turn the heat down to medium and cook for one to two minutes, then flip.
6 / 10Turn the heat down to medium and cook for one to two minutes, then flip.Supplied
Cook for another one to two minutes, then turn back to the skin side. You could stop here, but if you want to be cheffy...
7 / 10Cook for another one to two minutes, then turn back to the skin side. You could stop here, but if you want to be cheffy...Supplied
... add a knob of butter to the pan.
8 / 10... add a knob of butter to the pan.Supplied
Return the fish to skin-side up and baste the skin with butter.
9 / 10Return the fish to skin-side up and baste the skin with butter.Supplied
The finished fish. Season with sea salt, then serve.
10 / 10The finished fish. Season with sea salt, then serve.Supplied

If you're like me, you've stood over a pan, flipped a fish fillet optimistically, then watched the skin detach in a sad crumple. Where are we going wrong?

Donovan Cooke of Melbourne's Ryne has been cooking fish for 32 years, since he was an 18-year-old in his first job at London's Savoy Hotel. He steers us in the right direction with his step-by-step guide in the gallery above.

Note: If your fish is thick, score the skin in the centre of the fillet prior to cooking, cutting half a centimetre into the flesh.

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Dani ValentDani Valent is a food writer and restaurant reviewer.

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Original URL: https://www.watoday.com.au/goodfood/tips-and-advice/how-to-cook-crispy-skinned-fish-like-a-chef-20180627-h11x2m.html