Fish Piccata
Anyone who knows me knows of my phobia of fish bones. As a kid, I choked on one too many and as a result I steer clear of fish that isn’t filleted. And, if I do find a bone in a piece of fish, it’s akin to an appetite suppressant and am turned off by anything left on my plate! When I buy filleted fish I go the extra mile and closely inspect for any bones that were missed. In the past, I’ve found a few in salmon and removed them with tweezers. I now ask the fish monger for a fillet piece from the middle section of the salmon (less chance for bones to be found).
You may have eaten veal piccata, originating in Italy, or chicken piccata (an American favorite) but here’s my spin by introducing fish in lieu of beef or chicken. Because you don’t need to flatten the fish as you would for the original version, this recipe takes less time to make and reduces the cost. This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy fish. Lightly flouring the fish gives you a silky finish and a meal ready within 20 minutes!
Serves 2
2 skinless fillets of fish (flounder, sole, cod, catfish, haddock)
1/2 cup flour
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 – 5 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1 to 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1 shallot, minced
juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Pat dry fish fillet with paper towel. On a plate, add flour and season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge fish through flour, shake off any excess flour.
In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons butter and oil over medium-high heat. Place fish fillets in skillet and fry until golden about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside (keep warm).
Wipe down the same skillet. Over medium heat add 1 tablespoon butter, shallot and lemon juice. Cook shallot until soft. Increase heat and add wine scraping any bits that might have stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Add remaining butter, capers. Cook until sauce has thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over fish and top with chopped parsley.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: Adjust frying time according to thickness of the fish fillet. Enjoy!