Flounder with Lemon Butter Sauce

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

Four (4- to 6-ounce) 1/2-inch-thick (12-mm) fresh (not frozen) flounder fillets
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon or so all-purpose flour* ((optional))
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz) unsalted butter (cut into 4 slices)
Juice of 1 lemon ((about 1/4 cup))
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (such as basil, chives, or flat-leaf parsley)

Prep Time5mins
Cook Time10mins
Servings4

Instructions

Pat the fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Pat the fillets dry a second time just to be sure to remove all the moisture. If desired, sprinkle a little flour over both sides of the fillets and use your fingers to evenly coat both sides. TESTER TIP: The key to crisp perfection is to make sure the fillets are extra dry by patting them with paper towels and dusting them with just a tiny bit of flour.

Heat the oil in a large skillet (preferably cast-iron or stainless steel rather than nonstick) over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers but isn't smoking, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the fillets to the skillet and cook, without moving, for 2 minutes. Slide a

Place a slice of butter on top of each fish fillet and stand idly by as the butter melts and infuses the fish with flavor. Cook the fish until it springs back from light pressure, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the fish to a platter or to 4 plates.

Carefully squeeze the lemon juice into the skillet and, with the skillet still over medium-high heat, use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the fresh herbs and spoon the sauce over the fish.