This one couldn’t be any simpler and is a perfect fit for a range of quick fish finishes (try saying that three times!). As you can see in the picture above there are just five basic ingredients as well as salt and pepper. You can also finish the sauce with a little olive oil too if you like – just add at the end and cook for another minute to let the flavors come together.
My personal favorite for this pan sauce is either wild salmon or trout; a fish thats relative firm for pan cooking, with a medium flavor that won’t be overpowered by the garlic and red pepper. Cook either of these – skin on is a must – and then finish the sauce in the same pan while the fish rests and wow, you’ll be astounded you just created a restaurant quality dish. I know I am every time I make this sauce. Seriously, all you need is a great piece of fish and this sauce will really elevate it in every way.
- 1/2 lemon, juice
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped
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After cooking a piece of skin on fish, remove fish from pan and set aside to rest. Deglaze the same pan with juice from half a lemon.
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Add 2 tablespoons of butter to pan and gently cook till melted.
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Add crushed garlic and cook for one minute.
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Add lemon zest, red pepper flakes, chopped parsley and cook for two minutes.
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Season with salt and pepper and serve over fish.
This dish is also a great excuse to buy a microplane grater ASAP. If you don’t have one, get one in your kitchen drawer stat! This is the one I use from Amazon (affiliate link) – read our review here.
Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC – Utah’s biggest and oldest online food magazine; I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune. I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV shows.
I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have covered the Utah dining scene for the better part of fifteen years. I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand. I started Shop Smart to catalogue my adventures in the grocery store and kitchen. Follow along on Instagram too!