- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 (5- to 7-oz) black sea bass or striped bass fillets (1/2 to 3/4 inch thick) with skin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 seedless cucumber (often plastic-wrapped), very thinly sliced
- Special equipment: parchment paper
- Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet, then remove from heat and cool. Put fillets, flesh sides down, in butter, then turn over so skin sides are down. Sprinkle fish with salt (1/2 teaspoon), pepper (1/4 teaspoon), and 1 tablespoon dill. Arrange cucumber slices overlapping on fish (like scales) and season with salt and pepper. Cover fish directly with a piece of buttered parchment paper (buttered side down) large enough to cover it, then tightly cover skillet with lid or foil.
- Cook fish over moderately high heat until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on thickness of fish. Remove parchment and sprinkle fish with remaining 1/2 tablespoon dill and drizzle with some pan juices.