Fish Milanese
This fast weeknight dinner features quick-cooking flounder prepared alla Milanese, the style of breading and frying meat cutlets. The fillets are lightly breaded and pan-fried until golden and crisp on the outside and tender in the middle. A lemony, brown-butter pan sauce with capers comes together quickly to add a tangy brininess to the dish. A bit of avocado on the side adds creaminess that balances the crisp fish and peppery arugula. Any leftover fish makes for terrific sandwiches the next day, stacked with lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayo.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- ¼cup all-purpose flour
- 2large eggs, beaten
- 1cup plain bread crumbs
- Salt and black pepper
- ½teaspoon dried oregano
- 4(5- to 6-ounce) flounder fillets (or other thin white fish fillets)
- 6tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or canola
- 2tablespoons minced shallot
- ¼teaspoon minced garlic
- 2tablespoons lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
- 2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1tablespoon capers plus 1 tablespoon caper brine
- 1(5-ounce) package baby arugula
- 1avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Place flour, eggs and bread crumbs in three separate shallow bowls, and season each with salt and pepper. Crumble the oregano with your fingertips and add to the bread crumbs; mix well.Step 2
Season fish with salt. Working with one piece at a time, dredge in flour (shake off excess), dip in egg (shake off excess) then dredge in bread crumbs, pressing to adhere. Transfer to a large plate.Step 3
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add 2 fillets and cook until golden underneath, about 3 minutes. Flip fish and cook until golden on the second side and cooked through, 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a large paper towel-lined plate, and season with salt. Wipe out skillet. Repeat with 1 tablespoon of the butter, 1 tablespoon of the oil and the remaining fish.Step 4
Wipe out skillet and melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is softened and butter is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, plus the lemon juice, parsley, capers and caper brine, and mix well. Transfer the brown-butter vinaigrette to a small heatproof bowl, and season with salt and pepper.Step 5
Divide the fish, arugula and avocado among plates, and drizzle with the brown-butter vinaigrette. Serve with lemon wedges.