Piccata Styled Fluke

Piccata is an Italian preparation style most closely associated with chicken or veal, but today I am applying this method to fish. As you will quickly come to notice, we really enjoy seafood in my house. This is a great recipe for a lazy day because everything is cooked in the same pan, making clean up a breeze!

Recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients

20 oz fresh filleted fluke

2 lemons

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp capers, drained

Cooking spray

1/2 cup vegetable stock (chicken stock will also work)

1/4 cup white cooking wine

Fresh parsley, to garnish

Start by seasoning the filets with salt and pepper on both sides. Put the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the filets in the flour, lightly coating both sides. (Piccata is generally made with a crispy coating achieved by dredging in flour, egg and bread crumbs. I skipped the last two steps to save on calories, but the dish will taste delicious using either method.) 

Heat your skillet to medium heat and generously coat the bottom with cooking spray. Place fish in the skillet and cook 3-4 minutes on each side. (You will know it is ready when the coating turns light brown). Helpful Hint: White fish becomes flaky when you cook it, so in order to keep the pieces of filet in tact, use a wide spatula to flip the fish. Once all the fish is cooked, remove from pan and place on a serving dish under a heat lamp. (If you do not have a heat lamp, place the fish on a baking dish and put them in your oven set to 170 degrees to keep them warm.)

The key to a piccata sauce is the pan drippings, so without cleaning your pan, melt 1 tbsp of butter in the pan. Once melted, add the stock, white wine, a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. Slice one lemon in half and squeeze all of the juice into the pan. Put the lemon halves in the pan and bring mixture to a boil. 

Boil on high for 2 minutes, add the capers and boil for an additional minute. Remove the two lemon halves. Add 1 tbsp of butter and whisk vigorously. Once butter has melted and liquid has become slightly thicker it is ready to go. Plate the fish and pour sauce on top. Use slices of lemon and pieces of fresh parsley to garnish. Enjoy!