Best done with small fish—four 1-pound red snappers or black bass are ideal—this technique, among the world’s easiest and most reliable, can also be used with larger fish. But I wouldn’t go above a couple of pounds each, or cooking them through under the broiler will be tricky. Bear in mind that some broilers (especially electric ones) may cycle on and off, which is undesirable here; if you prop open the door, the heating element is more likely to remain on. You could, of course, serve this as you would any plain broiled fish, with a salad and vegetable or starch, for example. Typical Japanese choices might be rice (of course), along with Chicken and Cucumber Salad (without the chicken, page 182) or Eggplant Salad with Mustard-Miso Dressing (page 185).

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　4 small fish, like red snapper, 3/4 to 1 pound each, gilled, gutted, and scaled, heads may be on or off

　　Coarse salt

　　Lemon wedges for serving

　　

Step 1

Preheat the broiler; the rack should be about 4 inches from the heat source. Rinse the fish well and dry it thoroughly. Cut 3 or 4 diagonal gashes on both sides of each fish, right down to the bone. Sprinkle liberally with the salt, rubbing a bit so the salt penetrates the gashes.

　　

Step 2

Put the fish on a broiling pan, preferably nonstick, and place under the broiler. Cook for about 5 minutes or until well browned, rotating the pan if necessary to give all the fish even heat. Turn and repeat on the other side. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.