AI-generated image
Pan-fried Arctic char
Iqaluk: crisp-skinned char with lemon and bannock
Arctic char, iqaluk in Inuktitut, is the fish of Nunavut, netted in the rivers around Cambridge Bay and Pangnirtung when it runs to the sea in summer and through the ice in spring. It tastes like a cross between salmon and trout, with rosy, delicate flesh. In Iqaluit homes it is eaten many ways; here it is simply pan-fried until the skin crackles, with lemon and a piece of warm bannock. A common mistake is moving the fillet too early; leave it until the skin releases on its own. Chef's tip: press the fillet flat with a spatula for the first 30 seconds so the skin doesn't curl.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 Arctic char fillets, skin onabout 160 g each
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ⅔ oz butter
- 1 lemoncut into wedges
- 1 tbsp fresh dill (optional)chopped
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Pat the 4 Arctic char fillets, skin on very dry, especially the skin, and score the skin lightly twice. Season both sides with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.
3 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat until shimmering. Lay the fillets in skin side down and press flat for 30 seconds. Cook for 4–5 minutes, without moving, until the skin is crisp and the flesh is opaque two-thirds of the way up.
5 minStep 3: Turn the fillets, add ⅔ oz butter and cook for 1–2 minutes, spooning the butter over, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes when pressed.
2 minStep 4: Serve skin side up with 1 lemon wedges, 1 tbsp fresh dill and bannock or boiled potatoes.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pan-fried Arctic char take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of lemon?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Moreton Bay bugsSlipper lobster with garlic butter
Moreton Bay bugs are the flat, shovel-nosed slipper lobsters caught off the Queensland coast around Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, and for Queenslanders they are a summer treat, split and grilled at the beach house. The tail meat is sweet and rich, somewhere between lobster and prawn. Buy them raw, frozen or fresh, from a fishmonger and ask them to halve them if you like. A common mistake is overcooking, which makes the meat rubbery; it is ready the moment it turns white. Chef's tip: grill flesh side down first to mark it, then turn and baste in the shell.
Australian
All i pebreEel and potato paprika stew
In El Palmar and the other villages around the Albufera lagoon south of Valencia, the restaurants that are famous for paella serve something older first: all i pebre, "garlic and pepper", a brick-red stew of lagoon eel and potatoes thickened with a pounded almond and fried-bread picada. It is rich, garlicky and gently hot, eaten with bread to mop up the sauce. Ask your fishmonger to skin and cut the eel, and handle it with gloves: raw eel blood is irritating, though harmless once cooked. If you can't find eel, monkfish or hake works well. A common mistake is letting the paprika burn; it turns bitter in seconds, so add it off the heat. Chef's tip: break the potatoes with a knife instead of cutting cleanly; the rough edges release starch and thicken the sauce.
Spanish
Midia saganakiMussels with tomato and feta
Thessaloniki is Greece's mussel capital, with farms in the Thermaic Gulf a few kilometres from the seafront ouzeries where this two-handled pan arrives, still bubbling, at the table. Mussels steam open in a quick sauce of peppers, tomato and chilli, and crumbled feta melts into the juices at the end. Bread is essential. The classic version adds a splash of ouzo; this one is alcohol-free, using a pinch of fennel seed for that aniseed note (add 2 tbsp ouzo with the tomatoes if you like). Common mistake: overcooking — take the pan off the heat as soon as the shells open. Chef's tip: buy mussels on the day and keep them in the fridge in a bowl covered with a damp cloth, never in water.
Greek