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The main dish, Chic bistro

Skate with capers and brown butter

Skate with capers and brown butter is a bistro dish for 6 people that takes 30 minutes of active work for a total time of 55 minutes. The potatoes are cooked in the morning, the skate gets pan seared at the last moment. It is a medium difficulty recipe at about €8.30 per person, and the key is pouring the brown butter the instant it smells like hazelnut, not a second later.

A real bistro classic, skate with brown butter, with capers that pop in your mouth.

Skate with capers and brown butter
For
6 people
Work
30 min
Total time
55 min
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€8.30
Calories per person
480 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Skate with brown butter is the kind of dish that smells like a Parisian bistro, with tender flesh that falls into flakes and golden butter that crackles with capers. The vinegar hissing in the pan as you finish the sauce, the lemon wedges that wake everything up, it is a simple dish on paper but it always impresses at the table.

This is a recipe to make for a slightly dressed up dinner with friends, or a weekend family meal when you want a change from the usual roast chicken. It pairs with a light menu around it, a vegetable starter and a simple dessert, and it belongs on the table from fall through spring, when skate is at its best.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 2 steps, 20 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps, 30 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps, 13 min

In the morning, peel the potatoes and prep the parsley, capers, and lemon segments, then keep everything chilled. Just before guests arrive, steam the potatoes and flour the skate wings. At serving time, pan sear the skate and make the brown butter at the very last minute, then serve everything hot right away.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Skate wings 1.5 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • Firm fleshed potatoes 1.2 kg
  • Flat leaf parsley 1 bunch
  • Lemon 2

Dairy

  • Butter 150 g

Pantry

  • Capers 3 tbsp
  • Flouroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Wine vinegaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 2 pinch

Allergens Fish, Lactose, Gluten

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Peel the potatoes, wash them, and keep them in cold water. 10 min

    A slice of lemon in the water keeps them from browning.

  2. Chop the parsley, drain the capers, and cut one lemon into small segments with the white pith removed. 10 min

    Peel the lemon with a knife to remove all the white pith, it will taste much milder.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Steam or boil the potatoes in salted water, then keep them warm under a towel. 25 min

    They stay warm for a good half hour under a thick towel.

  2. Pat the skate wings dry and lightly flour both sides. 5 min

    Shake off the excess flour well, otherwise the crust turns gummy.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Pan sear the wings in a little butter for 4 minutes per side, until the flesh pulls away from the bone. 9 min

    If your pan is too small, cook the skate in two batches and keep it warm in a low oven.

  2. Brown the remaining butter, add the capers, vinegar, and parsley, then pour over the skate with the lemon segments. 4 min

    The vinegar makes the butter hiss, step back as you pour it in.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick skate wings that are very fresh, the flesh should look pearly and have no strong ammonia smell, a sign the fish is not fresh enough.
  • Do not over salt the skate before cooking, the capers and vinegar already bring plenty of salty, tangy character.
  • Serve the skate the moment it leaves the pan, the flesh firms up fast as it cools and loses the tenderness you worked for.

The variations

  • Swap the capers for chopped pitted green olives for a milder, less tangy version.
  • For a gluten free version, use cornstarch instead of flour, you will still get a thin, crisp crust.
  • For a quicker version, use skate fillets instead of whole wings, the cooking is the same but serving is easier.

What to serve it with

  • Steamed potatoes, already part of the recipe
  • A green salad with plenty of lemon
  • A dry, mineral white wine

Storage

Cooked skate does not keep well, it truly tastes best the day it is made. If you have leftover caper brown butter, store it in a sealed container in the fridge for 2 days and gently reheat it in a pan before spooning it over leftover fish or vegetables.

Questions about this recipe

Can I use a different fish instead of skate?

Yes, sole or monkfish fillets work well with caper brown butter. Just adjust the cooking time to the thickness of the fish you choose.

How do you know when skate is cooked through?

The flesh should pull away from the central cartilage easily in pearly flakes. If it still resists, give it another minute per side.

Why lightly flour the skate before cooking?

The flour forms a thin crust that protects the flesh and helps the butter brown the surface nicely. Shake off the excess to avoid a gummy texture.

Can this dish be scaled up for more than 6 people?

Yes, just increase the quantities proportionally, using a large enough pan or cooking the skate in batches. Keep cooked skate warm in a low oven while you finish the remaining wings.

Can a skate with capers, brown butter, and steamed potatoes be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 30 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make a skate with capers, brown butter, and steamed potatoes?

Allow 55 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 30 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in a skate with capers, brown butter, and steamed potatoes?

About 480 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a skate with capers, brown butter, and steamed potatoes cost?

About €8.30 per person, that's €49.80 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, lactose, gluten. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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