Recipe video above. This is a great spice seasoning for fish that makes for a quick and easy way to add flavour to fish. Based on Old Bay Seasoning, it's a combination of spices that works really well together. I've used flathead fillets today, but it can be used for any fish suitable for pan-frying. Don't worry if you don't have all the spices, there's plenty of subs. Allow ~180g/6oz fish per person.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Course: Main
Cuisine: Western
Keyword: fish seasoning, spice mix for fish, spices for fish
Servings: 4
Calories: 265cal
Author: Nagi
Ingredients
Fish Seasoning (Note 1 for subs):
1tspcelery salt(or 3/4 tsp salt]
1/4tspblack pepper
1tspsmoked paprika
1/2tspmustard powder
1/4tspmace
1/4tspallspice
1/8tspground clove
1/8tspginger powder
1/8tspcayenne pepper(or pure chilli powder)
1/8tspground cardamom
Fish:
750g / 1.5lbfish fillets, skinless, boneless (I used flathead, Note 2)
45g / 3 tbspunsalted butter
30g / 2 tbspExtra unsalted butter – for drizzling(optional)
Instructions
Fish Seasoning: Place ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. It will keep for months in an airtight container. This quantity is enough for 750g / 1.5lb fish (serves 4 people)
Seasoning and cooking fish:
Season fish: Sprinkle Seasoning on both sides of fish. Lightly rub to spread Seasoning.
Cook fish in two batches: Melt 30g / 2tbsp butter in large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Cook fish until golden on each side (see Cook times below). Remove to a plate.
Cook remaining fish: Melt remaining butter in skillet and cook remaining fish.
Rest: Rest fish for 3 minutes before serving with extra butter sauce (see next step).
Extra butter sauce (optional): Add extra butter into pan over medium heat and melt until foaming. Drizzle over fish when serving.
Notes
FISH COOKING TIMES:
Rule of thumb: Two minutes each side for every 1.25 cm / 0.5" thick fillet. So a 1.25cm / 0.5" thick fillet will take 4 minutes in total.
Fish should flake easily – this means it is cooked.
Internal temperature of cooked fish:
55°C / 131°F for white fish – this gives a medium result, with no rare or raw flesh, and the fish at optimum juiciness
50°C / 122°F for salmon (medium-rare)
Very thick fillets: For fish > 2.5cm / 1" thick, pan sear until golden then finish in oven (keep in pan) at 180°C/350°F until it reaches cooked internal temp.
Salmon and trout: OK to pan-fry fully (ie. without an oven to finish) as they have higher fat content. Cook for 3 minutes each side as a good rule of thumb (for the thicker parts).
1. Substitutes for spices:
Celery salt - 3/4 tsp kosher / cooking salt, or make your own (Note 3)
Mustard powder - 1/4 tsp ginger powder*
Smoked paprika - plain paprika
Mace - nutmeg or all spice
All spice - Mixed spice
Clove - nutmeg or mixed spice
Ginger - more mustard powder*
Cayenne - pure chilli powder
Ground cardamom - equal parts cinnamon plus nutmeg
* These doesn't taste similar but are suitable alternatives for a different flavour sub that works here.2. Pan-fried fish - best to be fish up to around 2 - 2.25cm / 0.8 - 0.9" thick. If much thicker, finish it off in the oven at 180°C/350°F.Skinless is better as the rub is best on flesh rather than skin. But it works just fine on skin too.Fish fillets purchased from fish mongers should always be boneless. Check with them when you buy it to ensure your fish is pin boned (for typical retail fish stores, this service is built into the price).3. Celery salt: This is an excellent substitute for plain salt, adding an extra layer of savoury flavour into any dish. It's the "secret ingredient" in things like KFC, Old Bay, and is used in restaurants. Just use in place of ordinary salt in any savoury dish.Celery salt recipe: Mix equal parts celery powder + salt.To make celery powder, spread celery leaves on a baking tray in a single layer. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 20 - 30 minutes until fully dry. Then grind into fine powder using tool of choice (spice grinder, mortar and pestle). The result is celery powder. 1 cup celery leaves yields ~1.5 tablespoons celery powder.Alternatively, 1.5 tsp celery seeds when ground will yield 1 tsp celery powder.4. Nutrition includes white fish fillet.