Inadvertent effects from partially defrosting a fish

1. I had two pieces of 1.5cm sole frozen together. [I was using Rachel Khoo’s Pan Fried Sole recipe]
2. Partially defrosted for 2 hours (by immersing in warm water). [from laziness, or ex pigritia]
3. Then I fried it for about 3-3.5 minutes each side on high heat.
4. The end result, was a deliciously watery center portion that was just cooked through (though the downside was a slight flakiness to the meat), that is like the poor man’s version of Cantonese steamed fish.
5. I wonder if there are recipes that call for only partial thaws (to achieve a particular texture?)