Fish with Lemon-Caper Butter
I know -- capers. But the great thing about a recipe like this (from the new book Two Dudes, One Pan) is that the sauce comes at the end.
Until then, the fish (I used tilapia here to keep costs low, but any white fish should do) is simply seared in browned butter.
I saved some plain pieces for my kids before putting the sauce on the adults' portions.
The kids gave this a split verdict...
(Photo by Kathryn Russell from "Two Dudes, One Pan," by Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo. Published by Clarkson Potter)
My daughter had a few bites, but didn't like it. But my son loved this fish so much that he asked for leftovers (still plain, thankfully) constantly the next day -- for snacks as well as dinner. He declared it as good as shrimp, and that's saying something.
Fish with Lemon-Caper Butter
Serves 4
4 6- to 8-ounce skinless fillets tilapia or other white fish
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter (divided use)
1/4 cup capers (rinsed if salt-packed; drained if brine-packed)
juice of 2 lemons
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Sprinkle all sides of the fish fillets with the salt. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a stainless skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and sear until it is opaque halfway through, about 2 minutes for tilapia. Add 2 more tablespoons butter to the skillet and, once it has melted, flip the fillets and sear on the second side until completely cooked through and the fillets slightly resist semifirm pressure, another 2-3 minutes. (Note: If you need to cook the fish in batches to prevent crowded, wait until your first batch of fish is completely cooked before adding the second 2 tablespoons of butter for the next batch.)
Transfer the fish to plates. Add the capers to the hot skillet and let them sizzle for 15 seconds. Pour the lemon juice over the capers, sprinkle with the parsley, and stir to combine. Swirl in the last teaspoon of butter. Drizzle the lemon-caper butter over the fillets and serve immediately.
--Adapted from "Two Dudes, One Pan," by Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo
Per serving: 335 calories, 45 grams protein, 17 grams fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 3 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 130 milligrams cholesterol, 832 milligrams sodium. Analysis provided by registered dietitian Jodie Shield.
