Author Notes
crisp, flaky filet of fish bathed in butter, to me, is transformative. It’s a method that combines basic pantry staples and, in the case of this recipe, a few pieces of mild white fish to create a dinner that’s refined, subtle and special. It takes me somewhere else when I eat it – sitting on the deck of a bistro, say, with a coordinated outfit and plans to spend the afternoon wandering. It’s a memorable one-skillet dinner with clear, soft flavors and a side of fancy.
To speed up trimming snap peas, line up 4 or 5 in a row and trim the tough end with one decisive chop of a sharp chef’s knife. It adds to the recipe’s charm (and quick prep time). —Caroline Wright
Ingredients
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4 tablespoons
salted butter
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4
(4-ounce) skinless Dover sole fillets
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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12 ounces
snap peas, trimmed
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1/4 cup
coarsely chopped dill
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2 tablespoons
capers, drained and rinsed
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3
to 4 tablespoons Meyer or regular lemon juice, to taste
Directions
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Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high until foamy and beginning to brown. Season fish with salt and pepper. Gently arrange fish fillets in skillet in a single layer, making sure that the pan isn’t crowded. (If necessary, cook the fish in two batches.) Cook fish, turning once with a thin spatula, until golden brown and crisp, 6 minutes. Remove fish to a platter or plates. (Reserve skillet and butter in pan.)
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Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add snap peas to skillet and cook, tossing, until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in dill, capers and lemon juice. Serve fillets with snap peas.
Before her diagnosis, Caroline wrote a book on cakes called Cake Magic!. She started developing a birthday cake using her gluten-free mix found in that book. Check out other recipes she’s developing for her new life—and the stories behind them—on her blog, The Wright Recipes. Her next book, Soup Club, is a collection of recipes she made for her underground soup club of vegan and grain-free soups she delivers every week to friends throughout Seattle's rainy winter.
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