A half fillet goes far when you sear it gently and serve it over rice with crispy garlic in brown butter. The mild, delicate flesh needs almost no time in the pan and tastes best finished at the table with fresh lemon.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 20 at the stove.

1. Start one cup of rice in salted water and bring to a simmer, then cover and set aside to cook undisturbed, about 15 minutes.
2. While the rice cooks, slice 4 cloves of garlic thin. Pat the tilapia fillet dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lay the tilapia skin-side down in the pan and let it sear without moving for 4 minutes, until the skin is golden and crisp.4 min
4. Flip the fillet gently and cook for 2 more minutes on the flesh side until just cooked through, then transfer to a plate.2 min
5. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons of butter with the sliced garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes until the garlic is golden and fragrant and the butter browns lightly.2 min
6. Divide the rice between two bowls, top each with half the tilapia fillet, and spoon the brown butter and garlic over it. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze fresh juice over each plate at the table.

Note Swap the tilapia for halibut or cod if you find them. Leftover rice keeps for three days refrigerated; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve alongside a simple green salad dressed with salt, pepper, and oil.

Half a side of tilapia is enough for two when you give it the pan treatment, skin side down until it's golden, then a quick finish in the oven. The fish needs nothing more than hot oil, salt, pepper, and the garlic and lemon already in the house.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 630 calories a serving, 69 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 38 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the tilapia dry with paper towels, season both sides with salt and pepper. When the oil shimmers, lay the fillet skin side down and do not move it until the skin is golden and crisp, about five minutes.5 min
2. While the fish cooks, peel and slice 3 cloves garlic thin. Cut half a lemon into wedges.
3. Scatter the garlic over the fish, then flip it and transfer the skillet to a 400°F [200°C] oven. Roast until the thickest part flakes at a gentle prod with a fork, about eight minutes.8 min
4. Take the skillet from the oven and slide the fish onto a plate. Pour out all but a thin film of oil, then set the skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and let it foam and brown, about one minute, then pour this beurre noisette over the fish and garlic.1 min
5. Squeeze lemon juice over the fish and serve with the wedges on the side.

Note A squeeze of hot sauce works instead of lemon. The fish does not keep well once cooked, so eat it now. Serve with steamed greens or rice to stretch the fish further if appetite demands.

Three small tilapia fillets sear quickly in a hot pan, then finish in the oven with garlic and olive oil poured over top. A weeknight fish dinner that takes less than twenty minutes, perfect when you want something light and fast.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 10 at the stove.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Pat dry three small tilapia fillets with paper towels, season both sides with salt and pepper, and lay them skin-side down in the hot pan. Sear for three minutes without moving them until the skin crisps.3 min
2. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the fish and scatter 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves around the pan. Transfer the skillet to a 400°F [200°C] oven and roast for six minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes at the thickest part.6 min
3. Squeeze juice from half a lemon over the fish and serve straight from the pan with the garlicky oil spooned over top.

Note Swap the tilapia for cod or halibut if you prefer. Leftovers keep refrigerated in an airtight container for one day; flake and toss with pasta and oil the next night. Serve with steamed spinach or a green salad on the side.