Pan-Fried Snapper With Rocket Salad

Most fish are best cooked skin-on to keep the flesh intact. If using skinned fish, coat in breadcrumbs or seasoned flour to hold it together.

Ingredients

• 4 x 450g snapper, gilled and gutted
• 100g rocket
• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling and pan-frying
• 3 lemons, cut into cheeks
• ½ cup plain flour
• Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Pat fillets dry with paper towel.

Toss rocket with a drizzle of oil, squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper and divide between 4 plates.

Put flour, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix to combine well.

Place fillets into seasoned flour, one at a time, to coat, remove and shake a little to remove excess flour.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add oil and, when hot, add fillets.

Cook for a minute or 2 on skin side, until golden brown, then turn and cook remaining side for 30 seconds or so, until just coloured.

Lift out of the pan onto paper towel.

Arrange 2 fillets on each plate, sprinkle with salt and serve with a lemon cheek on the side.

Notes

Any small ‘normal-shaped’ fish can be prepared this way; some fish such as flathead and john dory have a slightly different anatomy and need a modified filleting technique.