Wednesday, October 19, 2011

FLOUNDER WITH LEMON CAPER SAUCE

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Here’s a simple weeknight recipe for flounder, or any mild white fish (sole, tilapia, etc.).  The flounder I used was frozen and thawed.  (Backstory:  A friend gave us a gift of about 35 small flounders, freshly caught.  We gave some away and froze the rest.  Trying to make room in the freezer, Guy cut the heads and tails off our fish.  While it made room in the freezer, it also ruined my plans for grilling them on cedar planks.  Oh, yes, we tried:


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We found that the heads and tails are critical to the moistness of the fish when planking.   In other words, the fish was sort of dry.   I needed a plan B for the 20 or so flounders sitting in my freezer.  So, at my request, Guy filleted two of them.)
 
We both enjoyed our flounder simply pan fried in a cast-iron skillet and drizzled with a lemon-caper sauce.  The fish was moist and the sauce was a perfect complement to the mildness of flounder.  We’ll definitely be having an encore soon.

Flounder with Lemon Caper Sauce
Rating:  10 out of 10

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1 tsp. unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, grated or minced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 lb. flounder (or other mild white fish) fillets
Fine sea salt or kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed, drained
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley

In small saucepan, heat butter over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds.  Add broth and cook till reduced to half.  Off heat, cover and keep warm.

Pat fish dry with clean paper towels.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Heat a medium heavy skillet, preferably a cast-iron skillet, over medium-high heat.  Add oil.  Right before it reaches its smoking point, add the flounder.  Cook about 1 minute, then flip to the other side and cook another 30-45 seconds.  Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. 

Increase skillet heat to high and pour in reduced broth mixture.  Add lemon juice and cook about 1 minute, or till mixture starts to thicken slightly.  Add capers and parsley and cook till heated through.  Serve sauce over flounder.  Yield:  4 servings 

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7 comments:

lisa is cooking said...

This sauce sounds perfect for mild, white fish. I love how quickly this comes together too!

mr. pineapple man said...

oh yum!! I love the capers on it!! and the pumpkin soup looks amazing too~

Joanne said...

Mmm lemon caper sauce is one of my favorites. This sounds so delicious!

MegSmith @ Cooking.In.College said...

I almost always order anything that has a lemon caper sauce on it when I go out to eat. Sometimes I just request they give me steamed veggies smothered in it haha. This look wonderful!

Rita said...

Hi Judy,
What a nice healthy recipe; just spotted you on Sam's Blog; you have great recipes here.
Our grilling days are over; we are in the cold rainy fall season.
Rita

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

A lemon caper sauce is one of our favorites for tilapia.
Sam

Judy said...

Hi Rita, Welcome to my blog. Hope you'll come back and stay a while.