Crispy Skillet Fish with Spicy Salsa and Charred Eggplant

Prepare this quick Fish with Spicy Salsa by layering pan-seared perch over charred eggplant. Setting the diced tomatoes aside for 20 minutes draws out their natural juices to create a fresh sauce. Bring the meal to the table alongside toasted sourdough bread to soak up all the tomato liquid.

The Spicy Salsa

You build the sauce while the tomatoes rest. Cut the ripe tomatoes in half first. Scoop out the seeds and the watery flesh with a spoon. Dice the firm outer flesh and put it in a bowl. Add the finely chopped fresh chili, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Red pepper flakes work just as well if you do not have a fresh chili.

Stir the ingredients together and let the mixture sit for 20 minutes. The salt pulls the liquid from the tomatoes while they sit. The pieces soften up, and their juices seep out to form the liquid base for your sauce.

The Fish and eggplant

Thin fish fillets work best for this quick pan-frying method. Perch is a great choice. You can use any fish fillet suitable for quick stovetop searing. Cut the eggplant into slices that are 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick. The eggplant acts as a soft base for the meal. The thick slices take on heat quickly and turn tender in just a few minutes.

Sprinkle the fish fillets and the eggplant slices with salt and black pepper. Dust the seasoned fish lightly with the plain flour.

Give the fillets a gentle tap to shake off any excess flour before cooking. The tap leaves just enough flour behind to form a thin crust in the hot oil.

The skillet cooking

You cook the vegetables and the fish in the same skillet. Place the skillet over high heat and warm half a tablespoon of the oil. Lay the eggplant in the hot pan. Cook the first side for about 2 minutes. You will see dark charred spots form when the slices feel tender.

Flip them and cook the second side for a minute and a half. The eggplant should look nicely blistered and feel fully soft. Take the pan off the heat and remove the eggplant.

Return the skillet to the heat and warm the remaining half tablespoon of oil. Add the fish fillets to the pan. Cook them until they develop a pale, crisp crust on both their top and bottom.

Press down on them gently with a spatula while the fillets cook. The pressure keeps the meat flat against the hot metal. This promotes even browning across the whole piece of fish.

Plate assembly

Tear the fresh basil leaves by hand. Toss the basil into the salsa. Build each portion directly on the dinner plates. Assemble the dish by layering the eggplant slices, the cooked fish, and finally the salsa with its resting juices.

Lay three slices of eggplant on each plate. Place a cooked fish fillet over each stack. Spoon the tomato salsa right over the fish. Make sure you pour all the juices from the bowl over the food.

Bring the plates to the table right away. Serve the hot food with slices of toasted sourdough bread. The dry toast gives you a perfect tool to mop up every drop of the tomato juices and olive oil.