Skill 14 of 16

Cooking fish

Flaky, not dry, and no fishy kitchen.

What it means

Pat dry

Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.

How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.

Roast

Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.

How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.

Parchment paper

Parchment paper is a nonstick, oven-safe paper for lining pans. Food lifts right off and cleanup is easy, but don’t swap in wax paper or put parchment under the broiler.

How you’ll know: It lies flat in the pan, and the food slides off when you lift it.

Food safety: Fish is done at 145°F, when the middle looks opaque and flakes apart easily with a fork.