How To Pan Sear Black Cod With Brown Butter Sauce

 

Ingredients

• 8 ounces sablefish (black cod) or you can substitute it with salmon
• 1 teaspoon salt, pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder

Instructions

1. Pat sablefish dry. Sprinkle the fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Allow them to rest in room temperature for 15 minutes. 
   
   
   
2. Add olive oil and half the butter to a heavy pan or skillet. Melt butter over medium heat. 
3. Place the fillets skin-side down in the pan and cook them for about 4 minutes. It depends on the thickness of the fillets. 

   

   
   
4. As the sablefish cooks, the flesh will begin to turn opaque from the bottom up. When the fish is cooked halfway, you can flip it over. 

   

   
   
5. Use a thin metal spatula to test the fish. If it doesn't stick to the pan, it is ready to flip. Cook each fillet for about 4 minutes untill done. 

   
   
6. Transfer the fillets to a serving plate, leaving the excess butter in the pan. Cover the fish to keep them warm.
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining butter to the pan. It will begin to foam and will start to subside. 

   

   
   
8. Brown specks will start to appear in the butter, smelling nutty. As soon as it begins to turn golden, add the lemon juice. Stir it and remove it from heat thereafter. 

   
   
9. Pour the butter sauce into a small bowl. Mix in the honey and sweet paprika powder. 

   

   

   

   
   
10. Brush the butter sauce over the fillets. You will see that the sablefish is incredibly soft, the flakes pulling apart. Eventually, the sauce will soak down into the fillets.
11. Sprinkle some parsley leaves over the fillets. You can serve them immediately with any extra sauce.