Baked Fresh Canadian Sablefish Recipes

Steps:

• Pat fillets dry with a paper towel. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat a heavy 10-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil. Place the fillets in the pan, skin side down (if applicable), laying them down away from your body. If fillets have skin, press down gently with a spatula for about 20 seconds to prevent curling.
• Lower heat to medium and let sizzle until fish is golden and caramelized around edges, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip fillets and add butter and thyme to pan. Tilt pan slightly to let the melted butter pool at one end. Use a spoon to baste the fish with the pooled butter. Continue basting until golden all over and cooked through, 45 to 90 seconds more, depending on the thickness of your fish. Serve immediately with chopped parsley (if using) and lemon wedges.

Steps:

• HEALTH BENEFITS
• Like most fish, sablefish is a great source of protein, B vitamins (especially niacin and B12), and minerals (notably selenium). It shines brightest, however, in fat content: A 5-ounce serving provides about 3 grams of heart-healthy omega-3s, namely the powerful pair of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Harvested from relatively pure waters, sablefish also has very low levels of mercury, PCBs, and dioxins compared with many other fish.
• HOW TO BUY
• Choose Alaskan or Canadian sablefish, if possible, which tend to be more sustainably harvested than sablefish from West Coast fisheries. Look for fillets or steaks with firm, moist flesh and little to no fishy smell. Sablefish freezes well, and smoked sablefish has excellent flavor; you can buy both kinds at specialty fish shops and online.
• HOW TO STORE
• Eat fresh sablefish the same day you buy it; the high oil content makes this fish especially prone to spoilage. Frozen fish should be thawed in the refrigerator, not only for safety but because thawing too quickly can compromise texture.
• PREPARATION TIP
• To grill, rub fillet all over with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until fish flakes with a fork and is opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• DID YOU KNOW?
• Sablefish swim at depths as great as 9,800 feet and are among the longest-living species of fish; the oldest documented one was 94 years old.
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