Pan-Seared Red Snapper With Lemon- Zest Butter Sauce Recipe

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Total Time30 minutesRating4(254)CommentsRead comments

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

2lemons
¼cup lemon juice
¼cup orange juice
1shallot, finely chopped
1½teaspoons whole peppercorns
8tablespoons very cold butter, cut into 16 chunks
2tablespoons olive oil
47-to 8-ounce red snapper fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Add ingredients to Grocery ListIngredient Substitution GuideNutritional Information

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

517 calories; 33 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 46 grams protein; 771 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Preparation

Step 1
Grate the zest from 1 of the lemons, carefully avoiding the pith. Set aside.
Step 2
Using a paring knife, remove the peel in long strips from the second lemon, scraping off any pith. Cut the peel into a fine julienne. Bring a small saucepan half full of water to a boil and add the strips. Boil 1 minute. Drain and rinse the strips under cold water. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Step 3
In a small heavy saucepan, simmer the lemon juice, orange juice, shallot, peppercorns and grated zest, uncovered, until the mixture is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids and return the liquid to the pan and set it over very low heat.
Step 4
Whisk chunks of cold butter into the sauce one at a time, whisking continuously. When all the butter has been incorporated, immediately remove the pan from the heat. (The sauce will separate if it becomes too hot.) Transfer the sauce to a small thermos or to a glass cup set inside a bowl of very warm water.
Step 5
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the oil. Add salt and pepper to snapper fillets taste. Place the snapper fillets in the pan and cook, turning once, until they are lightly browned and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the fillets to 4 warm plates. Coat with the sauce, garnish with parsley and lemon-zest strips and serve.

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Ratings

4 out of 5254 user ratingsYour rating1 star2 stars3 stars4 stars5 starsSubmit

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Private

I was wary that the sauce was going to be a listless, streamlined beurre blanc, since it has neither wine nor vinegar, but like the entire dish, it was excellent and not overpoweringly rich despite a whole stick of butter. Follow the directions for the sauce carefully, though, to avoid separation or congealing. Red snapper has a nice crisp skin when cooked, so I left it on. If you do this, remember to put the fish in the skillet flesh side down at first to prevent the skin from curling.

Is this helpful? 31

Very quick, and delicious sauce, but Gerry added ketchup, so it’s a waste of time and butter!

Is this helpful? 5

One of the best recipes I've ever made from NYT Cooking. What this recipe doesn't account for is thickness of filet - I had inch-thick filets so I seared the skin on high for 5 minutes, then flipped.

Is this helpful? 5

How do you keep the snapper from sticking to the pan when searing? I used a stainless steel skillet.

Is this helpful?

I liked the flavor, but I thought it was too much work. It took me longer than 1/2 hour. There must be an easier way.

Is this helpful?

I’ve made this twice and the sauce always seems too tart to me. Anyone else experience this overly tartness and made a helpful adjustment? Not looking for sweet, but not looking to pucker over dinner.

Is this helpful? 1Private comments are only visible to you.

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