Skip to content

Fish, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Skate with brown butter and steamed potatoes

Skate with brown butter is a poached skate wing topped with hazelnut butter, capers, and a splash of vinegar, served with steamed potatoes. For 4 people, it takes 40 minutes at medium difficulty, for €4.60 per serving. The key to getting it right is a butter that turns hazelnut brown, never black, and fish that flakes easily off the cartilage.

Tonight, poached skate wing drizzled with caper brown butter, a true bistro classic.

Skate with brown butter and steamed potatoes
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.60
Calories per person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Skate with brown butter is all about the tender, slightly gelatinous flesh that flakes into soft ribbons under your fork, draped in foamy hazelnut butter where capers add their briny punch. Deglazing the pan with vinegar at the end makes it sizzle and brings a sharp, bright note that cuts through the richness of the butter and the softness of the steamed potatoes.

This is a bistro dish that needs your full attention when the butter is browning, so it works best on a Sunday or an evening when you can stand right by the stove. Adults who love fish in sauce and melting textures will love it, though it's trickier for kids because of the cartilage and the bolder flavor.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Skate wings 4

Dairy

  • Butter 120 g

Pantry

  • Capers 2 tbsp
  • Wine vinegaroften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Bouquet garnioften in the pantry 1
  • Coarse saltoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Parsley 0.5 bunch
  • Carrot 1
  • Onion 1
  • Potatoes 1 kg

Allergens Fish, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Bring 1.5 liters of water to a simmer with the carrot, onion, bouquet garni, a splash of vinegar, and the coarse salt. 15 min

    A little vinegar in the water helps the flesh stay firm.

  2. Steam the peeled potatoes. 20 min

    Keep them warm under a kitchen towel.

  3. Slide the skate wings into the simmering court bouillon and let them poach. 12 min

    Count ten to twelve minutes depending on thickness, the flesh should pull away from the cartilage.

  4. Melt the butter in a pan until it turns hazelnut brown, then add the capers. 3 min

    Watch closely, butter goes from hazelnut to black in seconds.

  5. Drain the skate, drizzle it with the brown butter, deglaze the pan with the vinegar, and pour it over the fish along with the parsley.

    Add the vinegar off the heat, it will sizzle, that's normal.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick skate wings that are truly fresh, the flesh should be pearly and firm with no strong ammonia smell.
  • Have every ingredient ready before you start the brown butter, since this step moves fast and leaves no time to go hunting for the vinegar or capers.
  • To deglaze without burning yourself, pull the pan off the heat before pouring in the vinegar, then set it back on the heat for a few seconds to bring the sauce together.

The variations

  • Swap the capers for chopped green olives for a milder, more Mediterranean touch.
  • For a fish free version, spoon the same caper brown butter over steamed asparagus or leek whites.
  • To save time, swap the steamed potatoes for frozen sautéed potatoes while the skate poaches.

What to serve it with

  • Steamed potatoes, already in the recipe
  • A glass of dry white wine
  • A crisp green salad with lemon

Storage

Cooked skate keeps for one day in the fridge in a sealed container, though it loses texture quickly, so it's best eaten the same day. Caper brown butter doesn't freeze well since it breaks down, always make it fresh right before serving.

Questions about this dish

How do you know when skate is cooked?

The flesh should flake easily off the cartilage into white ribbons when pricked with a fork. If it still resists, let it poach for one or two more minutes.

Can you use another fish instead of skate?

Yes, caper brown butter pairs beautifully with poached sole or cod fillet. The cooking time will be shorter, so watch for flesh that stays pearly white.

Can you make the court bouillon ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and keep it in the fridge, it actually gains flavor that way. Just bring it back to a simmer before adding the skate.

Why does the butter sometimes turn black too fast?

Butter goes from hazelnut to black in seconds once it gets too hot or cooks too long. Pull the pan off the heat as soon as you smell that nutty aroma and see an amber color.

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

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

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

About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

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

About €4.60 per serving, or €18.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

Cuisine from Northern, Eastern and Western France

See all

Recipes with potatoes

See all