Pan-Seared Arctic Char with Garlic Herb Butter and Blistered Tomatoes Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

Dry the fish thoroughly before it goes into the pan. Moisture is the enemy of crisp skin, so take an extra minute with paper towels and do not skip this step. Also keep the fillets refrigerated until the skillet is ready, and never leave raw fish out at room temperature for longer than 30 minutes. Wash your hands, the knife, the board and the sink after handling raw fish, and clean the surfaces right away to avoid cross-contamination.

Use a heavy cast iron skillet and let it heat for a few minutes over medium-high heat before adding the butter. Preheating gives the skin an immediate sear. Once the fillets are in, resist the urge to move them. Basting with the foaming butter does most of the work, and turning too early will tear the crust. Keep tongs and a spoon at hand, and lower the heat if the butter starts to smoke or darken too quickly.

Variations

• Lemon zest finish: Finely grate the zest of half a lemon over the fish just before serving. The bright citrus cuts through the browned butter and pairs well with the dill and the sweet tomatoes on the plate.
• Chive and parsley swap: Replace the dill with a mix of chopped chives and flat-leaf parsley in the garlic herb butter. The result is milder and greener, and it works well with salmon or trout as well.
• Extra garlic version: Add two more crushed garlic cloves to the butter and baste with a slightly deeper amber colour. The flavour becomes richer and more savoury, which suits a heavier side such as roasted potatoes.
• Cheese-crusted tomatoes: Sprinkle a little finely grated hard cheese over the tomatoes during the last minute in the pan. The cheese melts and turns golden at the edges, adding a savoury, nutty crust to each blistered tomato.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to two days, separate from the pan butter.

Freezer

Freezing is not recommended, because the texture of the fish and the crispness of the skin do not survive thawing well.

Reheat

Warm leftovers gently in a covered pan over low heat with a spoon of butter until just heated through, avoiding overcooking.

Leftover arctic char and tomatoes should cool for no more than 2 hours at room temperature before they go into the refrigerator. Transfer the fish and tomatoes to a shallow airtight container so they chill quickly and evenly. Keep the pan butter separately if possible, so it does not soak into the skin.

Properly stored, the leftovers keep well for up to two days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, and avoid repeated warming, which dries the flesh and softens the skin. The dish is always best eaten fresh, as the crisp skin softens noticeably once refrigerated.

You can get most of this dish ready several hours before cooking. Score and season the fillets, portion them and keep them covered in the refrigerator. Chop the dill, crush the garlic, trim the tomatoes and grate the hard cheese, then store each in a separate container.

Measure the butter and oil and set them near the stove. Do not melt the butter or sear the fish in advance, because the crisp skin depends on a fresh, hot pan. With everything prepared, the actual cooking takes only about 12 minutes, which makes it practical for a weeknight dinner after a busy day.

Serving ideas

Serve the arctic char straight from the cast iron skillet while the skin is still crisp and the butter is glossy. Place each fillet skin side up, scatter the blistered tomatoes around it and top with a pat of melted butter and a few sprigs of fresh dill.

Grate a little hard cheese over the top just before the plate goes to the table. Pair it with a simple side such as roasted potatoes, steamed green beans or a crisp green salad. Crusty bread is useful for mopping up the pan butter and the juices from the tomatoes.

This dish suits a relaxed dinner for two or a small gathering of four. Set the skillet in the centre of the table on a trivet so guests can help themselves, and keep a spoon nearby so the garlic herb butter can be spooned over each portion.

A light white wine or sparkling water with lemon complements the delicate fish. Because the fillets are cooked whole in portions, the presentation stays attractive, and the dish feels generous without requiring any last-minute assembly beyond the final spoonful of butter.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Pan-Seared Arctic Char with Garlic Herb Butter and Blistered Tomatoes

Prep 15 minCook 12 minTotal 27 minServes 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb arctic char fillets, skin-on, scored and portioned
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes on the vine
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• kosher salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped, plus sprigs for serving
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• hard cheese, finely grated, for garnish, to taste

Instructions

1. Pat the arctic char fillets dry with paper towels. Score the skin in shallow diagonal lines without cutting into the flesh, then portion the fillets. Season both sides with kosher salt, black pepper and the dried mixed herbs. Keep them refrigerated until the pan is ready.
2. Chop the fresh dill finely and set aside a few sprigs for serving. Lightly crush the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife, leaving the skins on or peeling them as you prefer. Trim the cherry tomatoes from the vine, leaving them whole.
3. Heat the oil in the cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Place the cherry tomatoes and the fillets skin side down in the skillet, pressing gently with a spatula so the skin makes full contact with the pan.
4. Once the butter foams and turns nut brown, add the crushed garlic and the chopped dill to the pan. Tilt the skillet slightly so the herb butter pools along one side. Spoon the foaming garlic herb butter over the fish and tomatoes repeatedly to baste them.
5. When the skin is crisp and golden, turn the fillets with tongs and cook briefly on the flesh side. The tomatoes should blister and soften. Continue basting until the fish reaches 145°F (63°C) at the thickest part.
6. Serve directly from the skillet. Place the crispy-skinned fillets skin side up with the roasted tomatoes around them. Top each fillet with a pat of melted butter from the pan, a few sprigs of fresh dill, and a light grating of hard cheese over the board or the plate.

Contains: fish, milk

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

420

Protein

36 g

Carbohydrates

4 g

Fat

28 g

Fiber

1 g

Sugar

2 g

Sodium

520 mg

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.