There are several great ways to cook rockfish, including pan-searing, baking, and frying. Here's a concise guide for each popular method:
Pan-Seared Rockfish
- Rinse and pat dry rockfish fillets. Lightly oil and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Dredge the fillets in flour and shake off excess.
- Heat a skillet with olive oil and butter. Sear the fillets 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and flaky.
- Make a lemon butter sauce in the same pan with lemon juice, capers, dill, and parsley.
- Serve rockfish topped with the lemon herb sauce and lemon wedges.
Baked Rockfish
- Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare a sauce with olive oil, melted butter, lemon zest and juice, garlic, dill, Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Coat rockfish and vegetables (cherry tomatoes, asparagus, onion, bell pepper) with the sauce.
- Spread vegetables and fish separately on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, then broil 2-3 minutes until fish is cooked through and veggies start to pop.
- Garnish with fresh dill and serve.
Crispy Pan-Fried Rockfish
- Coat rockfish in an egg batter mixed with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Press fillets into a panko breadcrumb and Parmesan cheese mixture.
- Fry in hot vegetable oil (about ¼ inch deep) for 1.5-2 minutes per side till golden and crispy.
- Drain and serve with tartar sauce or garlic lemon butter sauce.
These methods highlight rockfish’s mild, flaky texture and pair well with lemon and fresh herbs for bright flavors.
