Pan-fried plaice with buttery capers & shallots

Name: Pan-fried plaice with buttery capers & shallots
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 25 g plain flour; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 2 2 plaice fillets, defrosted if frozen; 50 g unsalted butter; 2 shallots, finely sliced; 1 tbsp nonpareille capers; 1 unwaxed lemon, zest and juice; 25 g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped; Steamed new potatoes and/or green beans, to serve (optional)

Looking for that perfect combination of simplicity, speed and pizzazz? This is it. If you prefer a whole fish, just roast in a medium oven then serve with the sauce.

This recipe is best enjoyed with plaice from our in-store fish counters. If you're a myWaitrose member, you can save 20% on selected fish from the counter every Friday!

Angela Hartnett cooks this recipe for Nick Grimshaw and guests Hilary & Michael Whitehall, better known as The Wittering Whitehalls on episode 2, season 4 of Dish, the Waitrose podcast. She pairs it with M de Minuty Côtes de Provence, a delicate rosé blushed with berries, peach and citrus on the nose.

Discover all recipes prepared by Angela Hartnett on seasons 1-3 of the Dish podcast. Dish is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

5 out of 5 stars(2) Rate this recipe

Serves2
CourseMain meal
Prepare10 mins
Cook15 mins
Total time25 mins

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Ingredients

25g plain flour
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 2 plaice fillets, defrosted if frozen
50g unsalted butter
2 shallots, finely sliced
1 tbsp nonpareille capers
1 unwaxed lemon, zest and juice
½ x 25g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
Steamed new potatoes and/or green beans, to serve (optional)

Method

Spread the flour out on a large plate and season. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Pat the fish fillets dry with kitchen paper, then toss in the flour, coating well and shaking off any excess. When the oil starts to shimmer, put the fillets in the pan, skin-side down, and cook without moving for 3-4 minutes on the other side (turning the heat down a little if it gets too hot) until cooked through, opaque and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Transfer to warm plates.
Wipe out the pan with kitchen paper, then add the butter and return to the heat. Melt the butter over a medium heat, then add the shallots and capers and cook gently for about 5 minutes until the shallots are softened and the butter is turning a light brown. Stir in the lemon juice and swirl in the pan for a few seconds, then take off the heat and stir through the parsley. Season if needed, then spoon the sauce over the plaice fillets. Scatter over the lemon zest and serve with green beans and/or steamed new potatoes, if you like.