I love a good piccata in the early spring. The light and bright flavor just sings spring to me, and since lemons are just ebbing out of season it’s a great time to take advantage of that.
For this recipe, I used Pike a white fish that can be found in our fresh waters and also in the ocean (Ocean Pike). I have, however, made this recipe with a few other fish, such as tilapia, bass, or trout, so that’s why that title up there is for white fish. It’s transferable this way.
I took a lot of pride in making this meal, though it was pretty simple to put together. I like making these type of delicious and dare I say, pretty dishes, to serve my husband (soon to be family – gush).
I wonder how many others get this kind of enjoyment out of cooking for their loved ones.
It seems like so many people avoid cooking like it’s the plague. We use this guise of business or lack of knowledge as an excuse to avoid it. I’m guilty of it too. Sometimes a hard day at work has me reaching for the phone to order take out, just like everyone else. Chuck and I are making a concerted effort to stop that. We know full well how much more satisfying a home cooked meal is, even if it’s a jar of summer sauce over pasta and beans because we are lazy.
Food is this thing that nourishes our bodies. It’s the fuel that we run on and we as a culture treat it as a hassle, as something ugly and weird and annoying. How is this any way to survive?
This is why I started the Cooking Lessons series. I want to cultivate a love affair with food. I want to get people excited about cooking again. Cooking at home leads to a healthier society, and I’m hoping a healthier planet.
If you follow me on twitter you know I’m hopelessly in love with environmental conservation and farming practices. We are at a tipping point (it may even be too late) with the health of our planet, and the way that we eat is in direct correlation with it.
I don’t have the ultimate answer to solve all the worlds’ environmental, health, and hunger issues, but what I do know is that getting back to cooking at home will help.
Meals like this one, full of love and flavor are the key.
- 1 lb white fish fillets, such as tilapia, pike, or sole
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Flour as needed for dredging (about ½ cup)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon capers
- chopped parsley for garnish
- Lemon slices for garnish
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Then melt together the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Liberally season the fillets with salt and pepper and dredge lightly with flour. Add to the fish to the pan just as the butter begins to bubble. Turn the heat to high, and brown well, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until well browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Deglaze the pan with the white wine scraping up any browned bits. Add the lemon juice, and capers and let cook for about 30 seconds. Add the last tablespoon of butter.
- Adjust seasoning and then return the fillets to the sauce to warm for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat, garnish as desired and serve immediately.