Fish:
- Pat the fish dry with a paper towel; season generously with salt and pepper.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil until hot but not smoking. Add the fish (skin side down for skin-on salmon or snapper) and cook until lightly browned (and the skin is crisp), 1 to 2 minutes for rare tuna and 4 to 5 minutes for all other fish. Turn and cook until the flesh is opaque and flaky (or translucent in the center for rare tuna), 1 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to cool slightly. Cut into 2-inch pieces. Wipe out the pan.
Shrimp:
- Rinse and drain the shrimp. Pat dry on a paper-towel-lined plate. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil until hot but not smoking. Add the shrimp and cook, turning once, until firm and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side for regular shrimp, 2 to 3 minutes per side for jumbo shrimp. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the pan.
Scallops:
- Rinse and drain the scallops. Pat dry on a paper-towel-lined plate. Season lightly with salt.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil until hot but not smoking. Add the scallops and cook without turning until golden brown on one side and starting to turn opaque, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn and continue cooking for about 30 seconds for translucent or 1 to 2 minutes for opaque. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the pan.
Chicken:
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel; season generously with salt and pepper.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil until hot but not smoking. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, turning occasionally, until firm and cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes. Cut into ½-inch-thick slices. Do not clean the pan.
Steaks:
- Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel; season generously with salt and pepper.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil until hot but not smoking. Add the steaks and cook, turning frequently, until well browned and medium-rare, 4 to 6 minutes for rib-eyes and New York strips, 8 to 12 minutes for filet mignons. Transfer to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes. Cut into ½-inch-thick slices. Do not clean the pan.
Tofu:
- Pat the tofu dry with paper towels; cut into ½-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 to 2 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add the tofu and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and just heated through, 3 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the pan.