Fish in Lemon Caper Sauce

A close up of a pieces of fish in a pan of caper sauce with a lemon round on top of it.

Make fish in lemon caper sauce for a light, flavorful dinner that comes together in just about 20 minutes. Perfect for a special date night or an easy weeknight meal.

Course dinner, Entree, Valentine

Cuisine Date night, fish, Light, quick

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 219kcal

Author Jessy Freimann

Equipment

Ingredients

4 filets white fish I used cod but use your favorite white fish
Kosher Salt and black pepper to taste
½ cup flour
3 Tablespoons salted butter divided
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic pressed or minced
3 ounces nonpareil capers drained
¾ cup dry cooking sherry
¼ cup chicken broth
1 large lemon you'll use juice from half and you can thinly slice the other half of the lemon for garnish
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley,

Instructions

Pat fish dry and season with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge each piece of fish in the flour so that the entire piece if fully covered and tap off the excess.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt 1 Tablespoon of butter with olive oil.
Place fish into the pan and sear each side of the fish until it's a nice golden brown, around 2 minutes per side. Remove the fish to a side plate and tent with foil.
Add another Tablespoon of butter to the pan and reduce the heat to medium.
Add minced garlic capers and sauté for about a minute or two, stirring often so it doesn't burn.
Deglaze the pan with sherry, for 2 minutes scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all the flavorful brown bits pulled up.
Add broth and the juice from ½ a lemon.
Simmer for 6-7 minutes until reduced slightly. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste if needed.
Add fish back in to the pan and simmer 2 more minutes.
Turn off the heat and add the last tablespoon of butter. Once the butter is melted, gently stir it in, and top the fish with the lemon rounds. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

Pat the fish dry before seasoning. Any moisture on the surface will prevent a good sear.
Don't move the fish while it's searing. Let it sit undisturbed for the full time to build that golden crust.
Always deglaze when making the pan sauce. All those golden bits left in the pan from searing the fish add incredible flavor to the sauce.
Taste the sauce as it simmers. Adjust the lemon, salt, or pepper to your liking before adding the fish back in.
Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon. A little extra lemon right before serving brightens the whole dish up.
Ingredients to prep ahead- Mince the garlic and drain the capers. The fish is best seasoned and cooked fresh.
Leftovers and storage- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat to avoid overcooking the fish.

Nutrition