½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
6 sole fillets of tilapia, sole, or halibut each 5 to 6 ounces and 3/8 inch thick, patted dry with paper towels
Salt and ground black pepper
3 Tbs olive oil
3 Tbs unsalted butter
4 Tbs unsalted butter , cut into pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbs capers
4 Tbs lemon juice (1-2 Lemons)
2 lemons , cut in wedges for serving
- Preheat the oven to 200˚. You will need to work in batches. Season the fish fillet with salt and pepper.
- Dredge the 2 pieces of fish in flour and shake off any excess. You will dredge fish just before cooking to keep it from getting gummy.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat with 1 Tbs olive oil and cook until the oil is shimmering.
- Add 1 Tbs butter and swirl until the foaming subsides.
- Gently place the floured fillet into the hot pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until there's a nice golden-brown color, then carefully flip it over. Cook for another couple of minutes or until this side is golden-brown, too. I cooked my tilapia fillets for 3 minutes on each side.
- Remove fish from pan and place it on a baking pan and place into the warmed oven. Wipe out the pan, and continue to cook the remaining fish in the same way.
- When all the fish are cooked, add the remaining 4 Tbs of butter to the pan and swirl it around. Cook until it turns slightly brown.
- Add the parsley, capers, and lemon juice to the hot browned butter. Cook for just a few seconds, letting it bubble. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Place the cooked fillets onto plates, then pour the browned butter onto the fish and serve right away. Garnish with lemon wedges.
Tips
Use fillet of white fish like tilapia, sole, haddock or other lean, firm fish
Try to purchase fillets that are of similar size, and avoid those that weigh less than 5 ounces because they will cook too quickly.
A nonstick skillet ensures that the fillets will release from the pan, but for the sauce a traditional skillet is preferable because its light-colored surface will allow you to monitor the color of the butter as it browns.” Cook’s Illustrated