Pan-Fried Fish with Lemon-Butter-Caper Sauce and Bell Pepper Potato Rice

Contributed by Greg Bongey

Summary:

This sauce is bright, rich, quick and easy to make, and incredibly flexible--you can serve it as a zesty glaze or a creamy sauce, depending on how much butter you add. It goes best on fish that's fried in the pan with a crisp to it, and can be paired with a wide range of sides--from a bed of potatoes to the veggie-infused rice described here. I usually double the sauce if I'm cooking for more than two people.

INGREDIENTS

For the sauce: 

• 1/4 cup lemon juice1 tbsp capers, rinsed and mashed with a fork

• 1 tbsp vinegar (rice or white)1 tsp lemon zest, minced1 shallot, minced

• 4 to 8 tbsp butter, as desiredSalt and pepper, to taste

• For the rock fish: 

• Flour

• Salt

• Butter

For the rice: 

• 1 cups rice (or however much you want)2 cups water (double the volume of rice)

• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch strips

• 1 small or medium potato, cut into <1-inch cubes1 tsp cold butter (optional)

Method:

Prepare the rice as you normally would in a rice cooker or a pot on low heat, but toss the vegetables and butter (if desired) in along with it. They will become soft and hearty and will infuse the rice with a subtle flavor and a bright color. 

Fillet your fish and prepare the ingredients for the sauce. Coat the fillets in flour and salt and start to fry them in a well-buttered pan, a little below medium heat, about 15 minutes before the rice is done. Flip occasionally, adding a little more butter as needed if the pan starts to become dry. Make sure you give it enough time so it becomes nice and flaky.

Shortly after starting the fish, cook the shallots, lemon zest, and capers in the lemon juice and vinegar in a small saucepan on medium-low heat. The liquid should be bubbling, and the shallots will gradually turn to a warm pink. You want the liquid to reduce to about a tablespoon or two. Once it has, remove from heat. Add the cold butter--the temperature differential helps make it creamy. Swish the butter around until it is fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the sauce on your fish and rice and enjoy.