After over-indulging on some very delicious, but very fried, chicken wings Saturday night, I decided to cook something a little lighter tonight for dinner. I went to the grocer without much of a plan, but that I would like seafood to be invited to the party. The perch looked super fresh, and since I hadn’t tried it yet before, it came home with me. Sauteed in a combination of smart balance and olive oil, the skin gets nice and crispy…and I’m a sucker for crispy skin. Perfect for a quick, healthy meal.
Sesame Seeded Perch with Lemon and Basil
Serves 2-3
Recipe by Just the Tip / Inspired by cook.eat.share
Here’s what I used:
- 3/4 pound skin-on perch fillets (cod, flounder, red snapper would be fine)
- 1 tbsp smart balance
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt, crushed red pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds (untoasted)
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 2-3 tbsp low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
Here’s what I did:
- Pat the fish fillets dry on both sides with a paper towel. With a sharp knife, cut a few diagonal slices in the skin so that it doesn’t curl up while you cook it.
- Heat a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the smart balance and olive oil. Add the fish, skin-side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.
- Remove from the pan and keep warm on a plate covered loosely with foil.
- Add the sesame seeds to the pan and toss around for a minute or two. Add the lemon juice and the chicken broth and toss around until thickened. Add parsley and basil, and pour on top of the fish.
