Catfish Cheeks with Easy Lemon Caper Sauce
This one-pan wonder is a quick and delicious way to serve Catfish Cheeks, ready in only 20 minutes. Get ready to have your taste buds do a happy dance with this zesty and delicious lemon caper sauce!
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
Catfish Cheeks
- Catfish Cheeks from 2 - 3 large catfish
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Lemon Caper Sauce
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons jarred capers, drained
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 ½ Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
- Pat the catfish cheeks dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with kosher salt 5 minutes before cooking and let rest at room temperature.
- Pat the fish dry again with a paper towel.
- Season with black pepper.
- Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter and 1 Tablespoon olive oil, then add minced garlic and let the garlic flavor the butter for 30 seconds.
- Place catfish cheeks in a single layer in the hot pan with bubbly butter and cook for about 2 minutes. Tilt the pan slightly so you can scoop up the butter with a spoon and baste the fish while it's cooking.
- Using a fish spatula, flip the catfish cheeks and cook for an additional 2 minutes, constantly basting with the hot butter until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F and the outsides are golden brown.
- Transfer catfish cheeks to a plate and let rest for a few minutes while you make the sauce.
- In the same nonstick frying pan, melt another 4 Tablespoons of butter over low heat.
- Once melted, add the capers and garlic. Bring to a simmer, and continue cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and parsley.
- Plate the catfish cheeks, spoon the lemon caper sauce over them, and serve immediately.
