Pan-Cooked Bass with Dill and Cucumber

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butterbutter
• 4 (5- to 7-oz) black sea bass or striped bass fillets (1/2 to 3/4 inch thick) with skin
• 1/2 teaspoon saltsalt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepperpepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dilldill
• 1/2 seedless cucumber (often plastic-wrapped), very thinly sliced
• parchment paper

1. 01Melt 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.
2. 02Cook 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.

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