Pan Seared Barramundi – A Recipe for Low Carb Keto Pan Searing Success
This healthy low carb keto recipe for Pan Seared Barramundi from Fluffy Chix Cook represents so much more than a simple recipe for fish. This recipe encapsulates an entire cooking technique, pan searing, that will revolutionize your low carb keto lifestyle. It will enhance food enjoyment and satisfaction exponentially and multiply the likelihood of long-term dietary satisfaction. Wow, those are mighty big claims, for such an Easy Button technique! Is it magic or strategery?
Don’t expect a “magical” recipe for Pan Seared Barramundi a firm, white-fleshed fish, or any variety of mild white fish (aka snapper, cod, halibut, sole, crappie, catfish, tilapia, pangasius or basa). It’s not the recipe bringing the magic; it’s the cooking technique that delivers, gorgeous, succulent magic every time. Because you know, it’s a work-horse, basic recipe—more of a cooking technique than an actual recipe for fish. Stick any old seasoning blend you want on any type of firm, mild, white fish. Cook it fast and hot, like an August Saturday night in downtown Livingston! And voila! Low carb keto magic ensues. The crowds go wild. Just don’t think this is only about a fish recipe. Cuz it isn’t.
Learn to pan sear almost any protein (seafood, meat, or veggie) and unlock the secret mystery to Easy Button Meals in minutes. This technique literally transforms your low carb keto diet from boring to fabulous adding: flavor, succulent moisture, and all-around flare to proteins of all varieties. You can pan sear fish and seafood as easily as you pan sear chops, boneless chicken and poultry, steaks, game, even veggies. The “magic” occurs not because of recipe device. It happens through the cooking process itself.
We’ve talked a little in the past about the Maillard reaction, but it’s time to get the nerd herd back together again and explain why learning this one simple technique can increase food satisfaction and satisfaction with the low carb keto lifestyle, exponentially. The Maillard or “browning” reaction is a physical and chemical reaction that occurs between heat and proteins or rather, amino acids in food (and the sugars or carbohydrates as well).
When cooked in a hot, “dry” pan—”dry” meaning, cooking food in some fat—but not submerging in fat or liquid as you would if braising, simmering or deep fat frying—with the food in direct contact with the surface of the pan. High heat promotes caramelization of proteins and sugars and increases water evaporation, promoting the typical brown color we’ve come to associate with deep “brown” flavor and umami. And with that flavor, you also get large numbers of aromatics which simply increases flavor perceptions to an even greater extent. As the food adheres to the pan and browns, the caramelized particles grow thicker and these “brown crunchies in the bottom of the pan,” as well as on the surface of your food, pack a one-two flavor punch your tastes buds flip over and remember. And crave.
Master this one technique and never suffer the indignity of eating grey, dry, chalky or mealy textured meats, or mushy veggies again. The idea is to cook fast and hot in a lightly oil pan, to sear the outside of the protein. Once browned on all sides, you can transfer the pan to a preheated 350°—400° oven to finish the cooking process. The oven cooking time varies by meat/veggie and is affected by thickness, density of the protein, fat and moisture content of protein, etc. But for this case (seafood or fish) just know that 2-3 minutes per side in a preheated pan on medium high heat will finish in a preheated 350° oven for about 3-4 minutes, if that fish is approaching 1 inch thickness. If the fish is thicker, add a minute or two more, if thinner then decrease time to 2-3 minutes in the oven.
Practice this technique with different proteins. Pan searing “poster children” include: boneless chicken breast, boneless chicken thighs, duck and goose breast, turkey tenderloin, pork chops, pork tenderloin, thinly cut steaks, tenderloin of beef, burger patties, sausage patties, foie gras, fish, shrimp, scallops, game, oh my! We could Bubba Gump the hayull (Texan for hell) outta this list. In fact, we even pan sear small, two-person roasts and finish them in the oven, using an oven thermometer to gauge doneness. Truthfully, we begin the life of any roast or fowl with a quick pan sear in order to initiate the Maillard reaction. It increases flavor like nobody’s beeswax. Swearsies!
(Click on the image to purchase from Fluffy Chix Cook’s trusted Amazon partner.)
(Click on the image to purchase from Fluffy Chix Cook’s trusted Amazon partner.)
Our favorite skillets for pan searing…well heck, you know we’re DFSWs (Delicate Flowers of Southern Womanhood), so of course we have to mention cast iron. But scoring maybe even higher than cast iron is enameled cast iron. Don’t think you have to have a million dollar pocket-book for these pans, you find cast iron skillets all the time at thrift stores and garage sales! But you can also find them online with our trusted Fluffy Chix Amazon Partners. The heavy cast iron interior holds heat longer and more evenly, ensuring that expensive proteins and veggies brown and caramelize without burning or scorching. Look right above this paragraph to see two of the Fluffys’ favorite pans for pan searing seafood, meats and veggies.
(Cooking note about the stuck on browned bits in the bottom of the pan: For God’s sake don’t scrub those browned bits out of the pan and throw them away! That’s brown gold, dearies! When the meat is cooked, remove it from the pan to rest, the magic really begins!!! While the pan is back on a stove top burner over high heat, add about ½-1 cup of liquid: broth, dry wine, dry sherry, dry vermouth, water, whatevs.
Gently run a spatula over the bottom of the pan, working the dry bits off the bottom as the liquid boils rapidly and quickly reduces. Keep scraping with the silicone spatula until all the browned bits are loosened into the pan. The pan surfaces should be clean and free of stuck on golden deliciousness. Evaporate the liquid to almost syrup consistency then add a pat or two of butter.
Turn off the heat, remove the pan from the hot burner and shake until every last morsel of butter is absorbed and mixes evenly into the pan juices. Taste, adjust for seasoning and serve over your protein of the day, to the applause and accolades of your family. If you are serving it for guests, feel free to throw the pan sauce (which you’ve now made) through a small fine strainer. You’ll get a silky smooth sauce that tastes amazing!
With this one technique, you can make award-winning, kitchen wench prodigious meals in 15-20 minutes or less each night. Heck, most nights it can be done under 10 minutes! Stress free, flavor packed, low carb keto cooking is about keeping it simple 90% of the time! A simple pan seared protein, a little veg, some buttah, a small side salad with homemade House Vinaigrette and dinner is served. Happy family, happy bellehs.)
Want To Know More About Sustainably Farmed Barramundi?
Get the Fluffys’ no fail Hollandaise Sauce or other see other sauces in our Fluffy Index!
Pan Seared Barramundi – A Recipe for Low Carb Keto Pan Searing Success
Notes
Barramundi is one of the new sustainably farmed, firm-fleshed, white fish that flakes nicely and has a really meaty texture. It's also pretty affordable for a healthier choice fish. We love to use it interchangeably with dishes that call for red snapper in order to keep costs down and to vary the area when the fish is caught—perhaps keeping heavy metal contaminates lower. (We can hope, right?)
Finishing the fish in the oven helps keep it moist and cooks it to perfection without over-browning and drying the exterior.
This preparation will work with any firm-fleshed, white fish, including cat fish, tilapia or pangasius. Alter the cooking time to the thickness of the fish.
A great way to make the meal more keto? Add a sauce! Hollandaise Sauce is an almost instant fat bomb equalizer and tastes awesome with this dish!
Serving Ideas Serve with a wedge of lemon and a crisp, fresh spring greens salad with purple onion and house vinaigrette. This dish is great with Hollandaise Sauce!
Nutritional Information
Per serving (about 6oz cooked): 339 Calories; 21g Fat (53.0% calories from fat); 41g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 1g Effective Carbs
Per Serving (with lemon garnish): 340 Calories; 21g Fat (52.5% calories from fat); 41g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 2g Effective Carbs
Per Servings (with 1/4c Hollandaise Sauce): 677 Calories; 57g Fat (73.0% calories from fat); 44g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 3g Effective Carbs
Copyright © 2011 Fluffy Chix Cook. All rights reserved.
Ingredients
- 7 ounces barramundi, raw (Australis)
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon freeze-dried parsley (Optional)
- kosher salt
- fresh ground fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unfiltered extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
Garnish
- 1 lemon wedge
Sauce (Optional)
- 1/4 cup Hollandaise Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Wash and dry fish filet and check for bones. Season fish with granulated garlic, dried parsley, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Preheat a heavy, nonstick skillet or seasoned cast iron skillet until very hot—about 2-3 minutes over medium high heat. Add oil and butter. When melted and beginning to bubble, add fish. Cook over medium high heat for 3 minute per side, flipping once. Transfer pan to preheated 350° oven. Finish cooking filets in the oven, at 350. Cook 3-5 additional minutes in the oven, depending on the thickness of the filet. Fish is done when center of fish gives to the touch. (Note Total cooking time for this method is generally 7-9 minutes per inch of fish.)
- Remove and serve immediately with a lemon wedge.
Nutrition Facts
Pan Seared Barramundi – A Recipe for Low Carb Keto Pan Searing Success
Serves: 1 serving
|
Amount Per Serving: about 6oz cooked
|
||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 339 without sauce | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 21g | 32.3% | |
| Saturated Fat | 0 | |
| Trans Fat | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 | |
| Sodium | 0 | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 0 | |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | |
| Sugars | ||
| Protein | ||
| Vitamin A | Vitamin C | |
| Calcium | Iron | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Fluffy Chix Cook
Copyright © 2010 Fluffy Chix Cook. All rights reserved.
0 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks