Fish with Lemon Caper Sauce

Types of Fish To Use for Fish Piccata

Choose thin fillets for your fish piccata. I'm using yellowtail snapper for this dish because it's fresh and abundant down here in Key Largo. 

Other good choices include red snapper, hogfish, mutton snapper, tripletail, snook, pompano, trout, wahoo, and sea bass. 

If you have fresh mahi mahi or grouper, cook them for two minutes longer than the snapper. Hogfish is thin and may cook in under 2 minutes per side. 

To guarantee the fish is cooked through, check for an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). 

How To Thaw Frozen Fish

Ideally, you should thaw frozen fish in the fridge, but this can take overnight. Place the frozen fish in its packaging or a sealed plastic bag on a plate or tray in the refrigerator. 

For a quicker thaw, place the fish in a bowl of cold water. Change the water every 15 minutes to keep it at a safe temperature. As tempting as it is, hot water may start cooking the fish, so it should be avoided.

What Are Capers?

Capers are small, unopened flower buds from the caper bush, known for their tangy and salty flavor. Harvested before blooming, they are brined, and soaked in water and salt, which adds a distinctive salty flavor to dishes.

Capers are really salty because of the brining process. I use just 2 teaspoons of capers in this sauce. You might want to season the fish with salt and pepper after cooking it. This way, you can avoid over-seasoning.

If you are using dry capers, they will have an even higher amount of salt in them, so use them sparingly.

What You Need:

This recipe makes 2 servings

• White fish filets, (4-6 oz. each), skinless and deboned
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Flour (use rice flour for gluten-free)
• Unsalted butter
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Capers
• Lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon wedges for serving
• Dry white wine (or chicken stock for alcohol-free)
• Parsley

How To Make Fish Piccata

Note: The cooking time will vary depending on the kind of fish you're using. If you have fish with the skin on, place the skin side down in the pan first.

1. Rinse fish under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Lightly season the fish fillets with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in flour, shaking off any extra.
3. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the fish fillets and cook for about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. When the fish is cooked through, it will easily flake with a fork. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
4. In the same skillet, add the remaining butter and garlic. Sauté the garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Stir in the wine (or chicken broth for alcohol-free), lemon juice and zest, and simmer for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to slightly thicken.
6. Stir in parsley, capers, and remaining butter.
7. Pour sauce over the fish.
8. Serve immediately.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Place leftovers in an airtight container. For a quick reheat on the stovetop, use a non-stick skillet. Heat the skillet over medium heat and add a small amount of oil or butter. Place the fish in the skillet and cook for a few minutes until heated through.

To microwave the fish, put it on a microwave-safe dish. Cover it loosely with a paper towel. Cook it for one minute on low power. This helps prevent overcooking and splatters. Microwave in short intervals, so you don't overcook the fish.

What to Serve with Fish Piccata

Try these recipes for healthy sides to go with fish:

• Quick and Easy Dirty Rice
• Steamed Broccoli and Carrots
• Lemon Asparagus Rice
• Authentic Spanish Rice
• Roasted Tiny Red Potatoes
• Oven Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots

Takeaway

This Fish with Lemon Caper Sauce combines butter, wine, lemon, and capers for delicious flavor. It looks elegant, but comes together in under 15 minutes. 

Fish Piccata is made with thin white fish filets and a lemon butter caper sauce. I'm using yellowtail snapper, making a Snapper Piccata, but any thin white fish fillets work well.

Debone the fish before cooking. If the fish has skin, cook the skin side down first.

Pan-sear the fish fillets in a combination of butter and olive oil until golden brown. Then make a quick pan sauce with white wine, butter, lemon juice, and garlic.

Take the fish out of the pan. To make the lemon caper butter sauce, sauté some garlic. Then, add capers and mix in lemon juice. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve it hot.

If you're a seafood lover and looking for more healthy and tasty recipes, we've got you covered!

Check out our other seafood recipes that use fresh fish from Florida. We're sure you're going to love them!