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Broiled Seafood

Photo: Aya Brackett

BY The Editors

PUBLISHED September 26, 2024

Broiling is the easiest way to cook all but the largest cuts of seafood. The main recipe starts with the quickest cooking, thin fish fillets; see the variations for other cuts and seafood. The key is to preheat the broiler and the pan. You can use a carbon steel or stainless-steel pan, a large flameproof skillet, or a rimmed baking sheet. Or use the broiler pan without its liner, if that’s the best fit.

 

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Broiled Seafood

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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds thin fish fillets
  • Salt and pepper
  • Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
  • Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. Turn on the broiler to high and position the rack as close to the heat source as possible—3 or 4 inches is good and 2 inches is not too close. Put a sturdy pan on the rack and heat it for about 5 minutes.
  2. When it’s hot, carefully remove the pan and pour in the olive oil. Lay the fillets flat in the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (If your pan won’t hold all the fish comfortably, work in batches, transferring the first fillets to warmed plates or a heated platter before proceeding.) Time under the broiler will be 90 seconds to 2 minutes, rarely more. Do not turn the fillets; they’re delicate, and anyway it’s not necessary. The fish is ready when it becomes opaque and the tip of a thin-bladed knife flakes the thickest part easily.
  3. Carefully remove the fillets with a spatula. Repeat with the rest of the fillets, if necessary. Sprinkle with parsley if you like, and pour the pan juices over all. Serve with the lemon.

– Recipe from How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition 

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