Alternative to pan frying fish fillet?

Question

I have a recipe that calls for pan frying fish and my goal is to find a healthier way to do it. I want to stay true to the recipe, i.e. I don't want to use breadcrumbs when baking the fish fillet in the oven, I want it to be cooked but slightly crispy, especially the side with skin. Could I possibly, lightly baste it in EVOO and then bake it in the oven? Will this turn out about the same but with less oil? If you have another suggestion or method that would result in a healthier option, I'd love to hear them!

Edit: Fish is black sea bass

What is the problem with pan frying? The oven transfers heat in a drastically different way. — Captain Giraffe, Oct 21 '15 at 21:14
The recipe calls for oil then some butter and I just wanted to cut out as much fat as I could to make it healthier. The skin side of the fish is basically fried crispy (delicious but as I said, I'm looking for a healthier option). — Puter Gal, Oct 21 '15 at 21:20
Everybody, there is a reason we don't discuss the healthiness of food here. Doing it in comments is no better than in questions and answers. Please just accept the OP's decision and help him with the culinary question. — rumtscho, Oct 22 '15 at 08:47

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 21 '15 at 21:16

2

Grilling/broiling would be a good alternative to pan frying, as the more intense heat will crisp the skin much more effectively than baking. It is a generally healthier cooking method because the food is not sitting in oil; any fat will drip off into the grill pan.

answered Oct 21 '15 at 21:16

ElendilTheTall

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You would still need to lightly coat the fish in both these options? – Puter Gal Oct 22 '15 at 13:47
No, you don't really need to. – ElendilTheTall Oct 22 '15 at 15:36

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 13 '15 at 19:27

I often bake fish as an alternative to frying. Parchment paper is your friend!

Coat your fish with some olive oil, and season as desired. Line a baking sheet or other suitable pan with parchment paper, before placing the seasoned fish.

Bake in a relatively hot oven (about 425F or so) until the center of the fish flakes with a fork. The exact time will vary, depending on how thick your fish is.

Not only does baking on parchment paper eliminate the need to use extra oil, it makes cleanup trivial.

Alternative to pan frying fish fillet?

2 Answers2