Drying the fish is key to the process, as this ensures the fillets will sear rather than simmer in the pan. Pat your cod fillets dry with kitchen paper, then season both sides with salt.

Use a pan that is large enough to hold your fillets with space around them, or if you have a smaller pan cook them one at a time. 

Make sure your pan is nice and hot before you add the fish, then add a little oil or fat and place your cod fillet skin-side down in the pan – you can gently press down with a fish slice to stop the fillet curling too much as it hits the heat. Cook on the skin side, without moving, until the skin is turning golden, then carefully flip and cook on the other side until just cooked through.

Cooked over a medium-high heat, you should fry cod fillets for 2-3 mins on one side until the skin is crisp and the fillet is almost cooked through, then cook for a further 1-2 mins on the other side until opaque. Cod loin, which is a thicker cut from the middle of the fish, will take a little longer, more like 4-5 mins on the first side, then a further 3-4 mins on the second side.

Two sure signs that your cod fillets are done are if the flesh has turned from shiny and translucent to white and opaque and it flakes easily when pressed with a fork. If it doesn’t seem ready, cook for a little longer. If you do this be sure to check often as fish cooks quickly and you want to avoid overcooking it as this can turn the tender flesh rubbery and tough. If you have a cook’s thermometer insert it into the meatiest part of the fish, you are looking for a reading of 63C.

Most chefs use just a little oil to fry their cod fillets as it can be brought to a high enough temperature without burning. As with this tasty recipe from Italian chef Matteo Metullio.

However, adding a knob of butter towards the end of cooking adds a nice flavour and richness to the dish. Follow our recipe below to pan-fry your fish this way, with delicious results.

If you are cooking a very thick loin or fillet, it can be a good idea to finish it off in the oven to ensure it is cooked all the way through. To do this, cook in the pan as you would to pan-fry – skin-side down until the skin is golden, then turn over and place on a lined baking tray. Finish cooking in an oven at 180°C/gas mark 4 for 6-8 minutes. Try cooking your cod this way and serve with confit potatoes and a samphire sauce fas chef Graham Campbell does

It is possible to cook cod fillets straight from frozen, however it is best to use a different method from pan-frying in order to ensure even cooking and tender results. Instead wipe off any frost, brush with a little oil, then bake in the oven or poach, just adding a few more mins to the usual cooking time.

Dredging cod fillets or cod loin in a little seasoned flour, before cooking, is a nice technique to use when you are dealing with skin-less cod fillets. The floury crumb creates a light crust on the fish which turns golden and a little crisp when fried and gives your finished cod a nice texture. As with this flavoursome cod dish by Jose Pizarro 

Cod is quite a mild flavoured fish, so you can really ramp up the flavours it is served with. Keep it simple with fragrant, lemony greens and buttery new potatoes, or bring in a Spanish influence and serve your pan-fried cod with vinegar seasoned patatas aliñadas by Henry Russel. 

For a light but flavour-packed dish, pair your fish with a Thai dressing and a delicate salad as Andy Waters does in his recipe,