Chef Deborah Snow, Blue Heron Restaurant, Crispy Barramundi
As seen in Edible Pioneer Valley
Recipe by Chef Deborah Snow, Serves 4
Ingredients
¼ cup finely minced parsley
¼ cup capers, chopped a little to make them even smaller
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons finely minced shallots
¼ cup olive oil
Zest of ½ lemon
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 barramundi fillets
Salt and pepper to taste (for frying)
Olive oil and butter as needed for frying (about 1 tablespoon each)
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons butter
Preparation
In a small bowl, combine the parsley, capers, lemon juice, shallots,
¼ cup olive oil, lemon zest, and pepper. Set aside this “relish.”
Score
each fillet several times on the skin side. This process takes a very
sharp knife or a razor blade. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of
the fillets.
In a sauté pan wide enough to accommodate the fish, heat the oil and
butter until they are hot and bubbly.
Slide in the fish, skin side
down. Cook the fillets until they brown on this side, about 5 to 6
minutes. Flip them over, and cook the other side until the fish is
done, about 2 to 3 minutes more. You will know the fish is done when it
flakes.
Remove the fish from the pan and set it aside. Pour most but not all of the pan juices over the fillets.
Return the pan to the stove, and pour in the wine. Let it cook,
shaking the pan as it does, until it is reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
Add the butter and let it melt, still shaking the pan a bit. Add a
pinch of salt and pepper. When the sauce thickens and develops bigger
bubbles, it is ready.
Put each fillet on a plate. Top it with some of the wine sauce and
then some of the caper relish. Serve with asparagus and wet potatoes.
