Name: Lemony Poached Fish for One
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 3 (¼-inch-thick) lemon slice, plus lemon wedges for serving; 1 shallot , sliced thin; 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar; 1 (6- to 8-ounce) skinless cod fillet , 1 inch thick; ⅛ teaspoon table salt; Pinch pepper

Why This Recipe Works

When you're cooking a fillet of fish, you might immediately think of flashing it in the pan, but it's easy to achieve the delicate flavor and superlatively succulent flesh of poached fish. For a quick, simple recipe for poached fish that yielded delicately flavored, supple fish, we came up with a few shortcuts: Using a carefully measured amount of poaching liquid allowed us to cut back on the aromatics, saving preparation time; a splash of white wine vinegar added just the right amount of acidity (a pantry-friendly solution to avoid opening a bottle of wine); and resting the fish on lemon and shallot slices added additional brightness and aroma while also preventing the bottom from overcooking.

Before You Begin

Buy fish from the seafood counter to avoid having to buy a larger quantity. You will need a 10-inch skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.

Instructions

Arrange lemon slices in single row across bottom of 10-inch skillet. Sprinkle with shallot and vinegar, then add enough water to just cover lemon slices (about 1 cup). Pat fillet dry with paper towels, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place skinned side down on lemon slices in skillet. Bring water to simmer over medium-high heat, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook, adjusting heat as needed to maintain gentle simmer, until fish registers 135 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and, using spatula, carefully transfer cod and lemon slices to paper towel–lined plate to drain. (Discard poaching liquid.) Carefully lift and tilt fillet to discard lemon slices and paper towels. Serve with lemon wedges.