A well-balanced dish that lets fresh local fish shine, with crispy skin and a bright caper butter to finish. Served alongside roasted fingerling potatoes and sweet peas, it’s classic, comforting, and full of coastal flavour.

Recipe

Pan-Roasted Local Fish with Fingerling Potatoes & Caper Butter

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Servings 4

x1 x2 x3

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Ingredients:  

1x2x3x

Fish

• 4 local fish fillets
• OR 1 whole 2lb local fish head on, gutted
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Nova Scotia sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup neutral oil

Vegetables

• 1 lb fingerling potatoes halved
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz green peas

Caper Butter

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 medium red onion finely chopped
• 1/4 cup capers
• juice of half a lemon

Instructions: 

Fish

• Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towel, season with lemon, salt, and pepper.
  4 local fish fillets, OR 1 whole 2lb local fish, 1 tsp lemon juice, Nova Scotia sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
• Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat with a thin layer of oil. Cook the fish skin-side down for 5 minutes, until the skin is crisp. Turn and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat and keep warm. If the fish is thicker, you can finish in the oven for several minutes until it’s cooked through to an internal temperature of 140°F.
  ¼ cup neutral oil
• To fry the filleted fish skin for dramatic presentation, heat 3/4 cup oil in a pan.
  ¾ cup neutral oil
• Curve the fish so it has the shape of capital letter C. Fry the fish until it is crispy on both sides and set aside.

Vegetables and Caper Butter

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Toss the fingerling potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange in a baking dish, cover, and roast for 20–25 minutes.
  Nova Scotia sea salt, 1 lb fingerling potatoes, 4 tbsp olive oil, freshly ground black pepper
• Uncover the potatoes, stir, and continue roasting for 20 minutes, or until tender and lightly golden.
• To make the caper butter, melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add the onion, capers, and lemon juice. Simmer briefly and remove from heat.
  1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup capers, 1/2 medium red onion, juice of half a lemon

Plating and Presentation

• When ready to serve, warm the potatoes and quickly sauté the peas with a little olive oil and seasoning. Arrange the vegetables on plates, top with the fish fillets, and spoon over the caper butter.
  8 oz green peas
• Place the crispy fish with head and tail so it sits on the plate next to the vegetables.

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Local Source Guide

Fish: Afishionado Fishmongers Inc., Clearwater Seafoods Retail Stores, Comeau’s Sea Foods Ltd., Dory Mates’ Seafood Shop, Evan’s Seafood, Fisherman’s Market International

Produce: Local Source Market, Masstown Market, Noggins Corner Farm Market, Stirling Fruit Farms, Uprooted Market & Cafe

Salt: South Shore Sea Salt

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Credits

Recipe provided by The Cable Wharf.

Photography provided by Michelle Doucette.