Pan-Fried Skate with Shallots, Garlic and Lemon Juice

I love to buy fresh wild fish from local super markets. Since I do all my grocery shopping in the beginning of the week, I try and cook the fish the same day I buy it so that it actually tastes fresh. There was some really beautiful skate on sale this week and since I had not cooked with it ever since culinary school, I decided to give it a shot. I open it up, ready to dredge and pan-fry and then I realize... I HAVE TO FILLET IT! Oh GOSH! It's been years since I filleted my own fish and I did not even know where to begin with skate! My Internet was down so I could not even look it up! With a sharp fillet knife in hand I went at it...slowly and carefully...eventually the rhythm worked its way back into my hands and I started to remember how it was done...I ended up with 3 beautifully white fillets (the first one, was a bit of an embarrassment actually...oops).

I decided I wanted to go back to my French Culinary roots with this recipe. It was very simply dredged in corn meal and seasoned with salt and pepper. Served with a simple sauce made of shallots, garlic, parsley and lemon juice. Some sauteed seasonal veggies and a glass of wine created the perfect dinner for us!

*Here is a link detailing how to fillet a skate fish*

Pan-Fried Skate with Shallots, Garlic and Lemon Juice

1 lb Skate, yielding to fillets
Corn Flour for Breading
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil for Frying

2 Shallots, diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
Juice of half a Lemon
3 Tablespoons Parsley
3 Tablespoons Butter


1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan.
2. Season the corn flour with salt and pepper and dredge skate making sure to cover all surfaces.
3. Once the oil is preheated, pan-fry the skate about 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. *Remember the second side always takes a bit less time. This is a very delicate fish so try not to overcook it or it will be rubbery*
4. Once complete, place fish on paper towels to absorb some of the excess oil. Wipe out pan.
5. Add the butter, shallots and garlic to the pan over medium heat. Let this sweat a little bit, you want them to be tender not caramelized.
6. Turn off the heat and add lemon juice, parsley and remaining butter. Once butter melts, immediately spoon sauce over fish and serve!

*In case anyone is interested, for the veggies, I just sauteed some sliced red peppers with garlic and some frozen Trader Joe's French Green Beans I had. It's a simple and healthy side dish for almost anything.*

Pan Fried Wild Flounder with Dill and Garlic Baby Potatoes

This is one of my favorite times of the year! Not only because it's warm and I can BBQ on my patio and talk late into the night...but because all of my favorite fruits and veggies are finally in season! Particularly, baby potatoes; baby potatoes have a different texture than other varieties. They are more tender and require much less cooking time, which makes it perfect for summertime quick cooking.

Back in Russia, when I was a child, my grandmother would always fry up fish and cook up some of these potatoes. Finished off with a simple salad of tomatoes and cucumbers our meal was complete. She dredged the fish fillets in corn flour which gave a much crispier and sweeter crust. The baby potatoes were boiled until tender and tossed with creamy butter, fresh dill and garlic. The scent of those garlicky dill potatoes still makes me salivate. These potatoes are a secret recipe of any Russian grandmother and I pass them on to you and your family! Please enjoy!

Pan Fried Wild Flounder with Dill and Garlic Baby Potatoes

2 Lbs Wild Flounder Fillets or any other Mild Flavored Fish
1 Cup Corn Flour
1/2 a Lemon Zested
2 Lbs White Baby Potatoes
3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
A Handful of Freshly Chopped Dill
1/2 a Stick of Butter, Cut Into Slices
*No one said this was low fat :)*
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil


1. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper on each side.
2. Add lemon zest to corn flour and mix to combine.
3. Dredge fillets with corn flour on both sides and coat well. In the meantime, preheat a non-stick frying pan with enough olive oil to come up about 1/4 inch up the pan.
4. Fry the fish on medium-high heat or about 5 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Place on paper towels to allow some of the oil to come off before serving.
5. Rinse potatoes and place them in a pot of salted water and let them come to a boil.
Cook until fork tender.
6. Once they are done, drain the potatoes well in a colander, allowing all the water to drip off of them.
7. Place back into the pot and add butter, garlic, salt and dill. Close with lid and let stand for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, combine the potatoes with the rest of the ingredients and toss carefully with a spatula.
8. Serve with a nice summer veggie salad and enjoy!