About Pan-Roasted Salmon Fillets

One of the things that I have the hardest time cooking is fish. And I LOVE fish. Like, SO MUCH. But the problem with fish is that it needs to be fresh, and the problem with fresh fish is that you need a place to actually buy said fresh fish, and the problem with me is that I didn't have a place to actually buy said fresh fish until this past September, when AFTER FIVE FUCKING YEARS OF LIVING HERE my neighborhood finally got a grocery store. Ahem.

So anywho, you know how you'll go to a restaurant and order the sea bass or whatever (don't order the sea bass! They're overfished! Try the skate wing instead!) and it'll be simple and perfectly cooked and absolutely TO DIE FOR? Well that's what I've been working on for the last couple of months and finally nailed over the weekend. And guess what? It's pretty damn simple. Who woulda thunk?

You'll need:

• 2 salmon fillets, skin on and scaled (you know, how you buy them in the supermarket. Incidentally, this will work with just about any firm-fleshed fish fillet. Also, GIVE ME BACK MY FILET O' FISH!)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Pat the fillets dry (so they won't splatter when they hit the hot oil) and generously salt and pepper both sides.



Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until water droplets spittle and evaporate immediately. Then add the oil and heat until shimmery. Place the fish skin side down in the pan, and cook for 5 minutes.



Flip the salmon and cook for another minute.



Then remove the fillets to a plate.



Then, I don't know, serve with a yogurt sauce and some sauteed mushrooms. You know, whatever.



The end.