Pan-Seared Rockfish with Capers and Lemon Butter

 

I decided to try something new from my Wild Alaskan box so chose Pacific rockfish. This is so new to me that not only had I never had rockfish before, I honestly hadn’t heard of it. In case you are as unfamiliar as I, rockfish is a mild whitefish that is somewhere between cod and halibut. It has a flaky texture and a mild flavor, it is perfect when fried, broiled, grilled, or pan sautéed. It is also known as Pacific ocean perch, rose fish, red bream, or red perch.

 I found this recipe on the askchefdennis.com website that looked perfectly doable and decided to give it a try. It was very good. It didn’t blow me over the way the halibut and salmon did, but it was still a lovely entrée. This is a dish that cooks up fairly rapidly, so this is one of those times when mise en place is necessary.

Pan-Seared Rockfish with Capers and Lemon Butter

Slightly adapted from askchefdennis.com

Rockfish

14 oz. rockfish (2 fillets)

¼ c. flour

1 t. sea salt

½ t. black pepper

1 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

Lemon Butter Sauce

1 T. finely chopped Melissa’s shallots

1 T. capers

1 T. butter

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1-2 ounces white wine

1 T. butter

1 t. flour to roll butter in

Italian parsley, chopped, for garnish

 Preheat oven to 250° F. Get a baking sheet handy; set aside.  
Pat rockfish fillets dry with paper towels and season them liberally with sea salt and black pepper.

Dredge the rockfish fillets in flour, getting a good coating on both sides.

 In a large sauté pan add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Heat over medium-high until the butter is melted and sizzling, but don’t allow the butter to brown. Lower the heat to medium.

Place the floured rockfish into the hot pan, cooking on the first side for 3-4 minutes. (Don’t be tempted to turn it over too soon, you want that delicious crunch and golden brown color that comes from not moving the fillets around.)

Turn the rockfish over and continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes. When the pan-seared rockfish is fully cooked, place it on the baking sheet and pop it into your preheated oven while you make the lemon caper sauce.

 In a small sauté pan over medium heat place 1 T. butter, shallots, and capers. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and white wine to the pan. When the liquids are hot, add 1 tablespoon of butter rolled in flour (Beurre manié) to the pan. This will thicken the sauce.

Pour the lemon caper sauce over the pan-seared rockfish. 
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.