Skate with Lemon-Caper Sauce

Peggy Lampman |Contributor

I've eaten skate in restaurants but have never purchased this fish to use in a recipe. While shopping for holiday foods last week, I noticed skate at Hiller's and purchased a couple of "wings." I froze them, thawed them last night in my fridge, and today finds me online, recipe surfing for skate.

Best reviewed recipes for skate I've found on-line are similar to a sole recipe I enjoy making: Sole Meuniere, which calls for a lemony brown butter and capers similar to another favorite, Trout with Lemons and Capers.

A skate wing, prior to dredging in flour.

Without a doubt, a quick pan fry of flour-dredged fish fillets (be it sole, trout or skate) sauced with a lemon, caper and butter sauce is always a winning recipe. I'm sure there are endless ways of preparing skate, but experience has taught me that this recipe is easy to prepare and delicious.

The subtle yet distinct flavor of skate, the striation and texture, is unique and magnificent. If you see it around, I encourage you to taste for yourself. If you have a favorite skate recipe, or have seen one you're interested in trying, I'd love to hear about it. Skate will undoubtedly go into my cart the next time I see it in a fish case around town.

Yield: 2-3 servings

Cost: $14
(skate was approximately $10 per pound)
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound skate (2-3 skinless, boneless pieces)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup flour

Juice from 1 lemon (2 tablespoons), divided, plus extra slices for garnish, if desired

Freshly chopped parsley 

1 tablespoon capers

Instructions

1. Pat fish fillets dry and season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Dredge fillets in flour.

2. In a large sauté pan, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. 

3. Once the butter starts to brown, place half of the fillets in the pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until well-browned, and carefully turn over with a large spatula and guiding hand.  Add juice from 1/2 lemon to pan and cook an additional 2-3 minutes on other side or until nicely browned. 

4. Remove from pan, tent with foil, and repeat with remaining fish, adding remaining butter and lemon juice to pan. ʉ۬
5. When fish is cooked, pour the pan sauce over the fish, garnish with lemon slices, if using, parsley and capers. Serve.