BROWN BUTTER PERCH

Brown Butter Perch image

I love perch. I love everything about them--the sweet, delicate flavor, the striking coloration, and the stubborn fight they put up for their size. The key here is getting the butter to a perfect nutty brown. Technically it's still butter, but something happens when it's toasted like this, and it really does become another ingredient altogether.

Provided by Chef John

Time 20m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 ounces fresh perch fillets
2 tablespoons butter
1 lemon, cut in half

Steps:

Whisk flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Gently press perch fillets into flour mixture to coat, shaking off any excess flour.
Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat until butter is foaming and nut-brown in color. Working in batches, place filets in skillet and cook until light golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer cooked fillets to a plate, squeeze lemon juice over the top, and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 271.3 calories, Carbohydrate 30.9 g, Cholesterol 43.2 mg, Fat 11.5 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 12.6 g, SaturatedFat 4.8 g, Sodium 702.8 mg, Sugar 0.3 g