Description
Pan seared Arctic char with crispy skin, served with a bright lemon-dill butter sauce for a fresh, elegant, and flavorful fish entrée.
Ingredients
- 4 Arctic char fillets, skin-on (6–8 oz each)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or clarified butter
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of ½ lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional, for richer sauce)
Instructions
- Pat Arctic char fillets dry and season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Heat olive oil or clarified butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add minced garlic and sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant, avoiding burning.
- Stir in lemon juice and chopped dill. Place fillets in pan, skin-side down, pressing lightly with a spatula.
- Cook skin-side down 3–5 minutes until skin is crispy and golden.
- Flip fillets and cook 1–2 minutes until just cooked through.
- If using, stir in unsalted butter into the sauce and spoon over fillets before serving.
Notes
- Herb Butter: Add parsley or chives for extra flavor.
- Garlic Lemon Twist: Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest with lemon juice for brighter citrus note.
- Crispy Capers: Stir in 1 tablespoon capers with the sauce for briny flavor.
- Store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 days.
- Reheat gently in 275°F (135°C) oven 10–12 minutes or in skillet over low heat with a little olive oil.
- Freezing cooked Arctic char is not recommended; it may become dry.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan Searing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet with sauce
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
