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Roasted Lemony Fish With Brown Butter
Isabella

Roasted Lemony Fish With Brown Butter

This roasted lemony fish is finished with nutty brown butter, fresh herbs, capers, and a drizzle of savory nori oil for an elegant yet comforting seafood dinner. Bright citrus balances the richness, creating a restaurant-worthy dish that’s surprisingly simple to make at home.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fish
  • 2.25 pounds white fish fillets such as hake or cod (about 6 fillets)
  • kosher salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 0.25 cup extra-virgin olive oil for roasting
  • 2 whole lemons divided
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter for browning
  • 1 cup fresh parsley leaves and tender stems coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons capers drained
Nori Oil
  • 10 sheets nori seaweed snack sheets crumbled
  • 0.25 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 245°C (475°F). Arrange the fish fillets on a rimmed baking sheet and season generously with salt and black pepper.
  2. Make the nori oil: Place the crumbled nori in a blender. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil and blend until dark and smooth. Season lightly with salt and pepper; set aside.
  3. Drizzle the remaining 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil over the fish. Thinly slice 1½ lemons and arrange the slices over the fillets. Reserve the remaining lemon half.
  4. Roast the fish for 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness, until opaque and tender but not fully flaky. Remove from the oven and brush two-thirds of the nori oil over the fish.
  5. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 3–5 minutes.
  6. Add the parsley and capers to the brown butter and cook for 1 minute, stirring carefully.
  7. Immediately pour the sizzling brown butter over the fish. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top and serve with remaining nori oil on the side.

Notes

The nori oil can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. If you prefer, you can omit the nori oil and still enjoy a delicious lemony brown butter fish.