Every Monday night, most of us struggle to decide what to eat for dinner. This is because it is the beginning of the week, we’re suffering from Monday blues, and after a tiring workday, nobody wants to slave over a kitchen stove. There’s the added factor of eating healthily too. The weekend binge fest is now over and we must get back to our healthy diets. If these are all the concerns haunting you right now, then this Italian Pan-Fried Lemon Fish dish is just what you need.
Fish is a key part of the Mediterranean diet that is considered to be one of the healthiest out there. A part of the Mediterranean region, Italian food—especially when you look beyond pasta and pizza—is all about holding up the essence of the Mediterranean diet. This is the reason why Italian cuisine has a plethora of fish dishes that are healthy and very fresh. What’s more, these dishes are also very easy to whip up and just what you need on a Monday night.
This Pan-Fried Lemon Fish dish is a perfect example of this aspect of Italian cuisine. It is simple because nothing is as easy as frying a fillet of fish in a pan. But it is also nuanced because of the addition of capers, olive oil and lemon juice. In fact, the addition of lemon juice gives the fish a zingy flavour that screams freshness. Add a bit of butter, and even the staunchest of foodies will be satiated. However, remember not to add butter and lemon juice while the stove is still on as it can break the milk solids in the butter, and give you a split sauce! Here’s the recipe you should try out tonight.
Ingredients:
4 Sole or Bhetki fish fillets
3 tbsp olive oil
½ cup butter
4 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp capers
Salt, to taste
Lemon wedges, to serve
Coriander leaves, to serve
Method:
1. Wash, clean and dry the fish fillets and place them on a plate.
2. Sprinkle black pepper powder and salt to taste and gently rub them onto both sides of the fillets.
3. Now, heat the olive oil and half the butter in a shallow pan.
4. Add two fillets at a time and fry them until golden brown on both sides.
5. Remove the fillets from the pan and set them gently on a serving platter.
6. Turn the flame to the lowest possible heat, then add the remaining butter.
7. Once the butter melts, add the lemon juice and stir continuously until the sauce emulsifies or turns into a homogenous mix.
8. Switch the flame off, stir in the capers, then pour the sauce over the pan-fried fish.
9. Garnish with lemon wedges and coriander leaves and serve immediately with a fresh salad.