Pan-Seared Lingcod Recipe with White Wine Sauce
This lingcod recipe is buttery, melt-in-your-mouth good. Tender pan-seared fish topped with a creamy white wine sauce that feels elegant but comes together quickly. Easy enough for weeknights and impressive enough for guests.
Servings: 4
Calories: 305kcal
Ingredients
Fish:
- 2 thick lingcod filets (6-8 oz each)
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoon butter, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
Sauce:
- ¼ cup shallots, diced
- ¾ cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ tablespoon butter
Other Ingredients:
- fresh lemon zest, for serving
- fresh dill, for serving
Instructions
Fish:
- Pat fish filets dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper. This can be done up to 8 hours before cooking, preferably at least 30 minutes before cooking. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and set aside.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and garlic cloves to the skillet and let the garlic flavor the butter for 1 minute.
- Place the fish filets in the hot butter, skin side up. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the tops of the filets are golden brown.
- Flip the fish. Add in 1 more tablespoon of butter. Spoon the hot butter over the fish filets for 3 minutes. Transfer the fish filets to the baking rack on the sheet pan and place in the hot oven while you prepare the sauce. Discard the garlic cloves.
- Depending on the thickness of the filets, they should reach an internal temperature of 135°F in about the same amount of time it takes to make the sauce. If the fish is done before the sauce, turn off the oven and open the door to cool the oven slightly while still keeping the fish warm for serving.
Sauce:
- The cast iron skillet should have enough butter left to cook the shallots. If not, add ½ tablespoon of butter to the pan and let it melt.
- Add diced shallots to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper and cook for 1 minute, or until the shallots are softened.
- Add white wine and lemon juice to the pan. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 7-8 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add heavy cream. Stir to combine. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to low and add ½ tablespoon of butter. Stir until the butter is incorporated into the sauce. Taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed.
- Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer.
Serving:
- Transfer the fish filets to serving plates. Drizzle with sauce. Top with fresh lemon zest and fresh dill. Enjoy!
Notes
- Lingcod is a unique fish, but other fish can be used for this recipe. You can use other flaky white fish fillets like halibut, black cod, Pacific cod, etc.
- Pat the fish very dry. The drier the surface, the better the golden crust. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
- Use a hot, well-oiled pan. Lingcod is lean and can stick easily-preheat your pan fully and don't move the fish until it naturally releases.
- Don't overcook it. Lingcod turns tough if cooked too long. Pull it from the oven at 135-140°F; it will finish cooking as it rests.
- Deglaze right away. Don't wait to make the sauce. Use the fish drippings while the pan is still hot for maximum flavor. This sauce can be prepared in a different pan while the fish cooks. However, the flavor left in the pan from the fish really adds to the flavor of the sauce!
- Season in layers. Lightly salt the fish before searing and taste the sauce at the end to adjust seasoning as needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 584mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 702IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
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