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2 filets of sauteed rockfish with caper butter sauce in a black nonstick pan
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Easy Sauteed Rockfish with Lemon Caper Butter

This simple but classic recipe for rockfish is sure to please most palates with its combination of lemon juice, capers, and fresh parsley swirled into a creamy butter sauce. Make from start to finish within 15 minutes.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Diet Gluten Free, Low Fat
Keyword 15 minute meals
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 370kcal
Author Agile Test Kitchen

Equipment

  • 1 saute pan, preferably nonstick at least 10 inches wide

Ingredients

  • 12 oz rockfish fillets or about 2 fillets
  • salt to taste for me this is ⅓ teaspoon of pink salt
  • 3 teaspoon olive oil (extra virgin or regular) separated into 2 teaspoon and 1 tsp
  • 2 Tb capers roughly chopped
  • 3 Tb butter, cold or non-hydrogenated margarine
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 Tb lemon juice
  • 1 Tb chopped parsley

Optional Garnishes

  • lemon wedges
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Pat the rockfish filets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt.
  • Heat a nonstick skillet to medium high heat. Pour in 2 teaspoon of olive oil. Lay the rockfish filets skin side up into the pan.
  • Cook the rockfish for about 3 minutes per side until golden grown. Set filets aside onto a plate. Leave any residual olive oil in the pan.
  • Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan over medium heat. Add the chopped capers and fry for about 30 seconds.
  • Turn down the heat to low and swirl in the cold butter until melted. Turn off the heat and mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley.
  • Pour sauce over the fish. Alternately, puf the fish filets back into the pan and reheat gently over medium heat.
  • Serve garnished with lemon wedges and black pepper, if you wish.

Notes

  1. Roughly 1 lemon will give you ½ teaspoon of lemon zest. ½ a lemon will yield 1 Tb of lemon juice.
  2. I've tried this recipe with both fresh and previously frozen rockfish. Fresh fish is always a little bit juicier, but this sauce makes up for any deficiencies with the copious butter and lemon.
  3. Try this recipe with snapper, trout, ling cod, or halibut.

Nutrition

Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 774mg | Potassium: 685mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 731IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg