Description
A simple, light, and elegant dinner that comes together in under an hour, this pan-fried fish is topped with a dirty martini-inspired sauce and fried lemons. The sauce strikes a perfect balance of briny olives, rich tomato paste, and subtle sweetness from shallots, creating something that feels both fresh and luxurious. It’s the kind of dish that looks like a showstopper but cooks like a weeknight.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 lemons
- extra virgin olive oil as needed
- 6–8 white fish filets (like orange roughy, sole, tilapia or branzino)
- kosher salt + black pepper as needed
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 10 oz jar Castelvetrano pitted olives
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 cup dry vermouth
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the lemons: Thinly slice one lemon and set the slices aside. Zest the second lemon until you have 1 teaspoon of zest, then cut that same lemon in half and save it for juicing later.
- Fry the lemon slices: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the lemon slices in a single layer and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until golden around the edges. Transfer the lemon slices to a plate and set aside. Do not discard the oil in the skillet.
- Cook the fish: Pat the fish fillets dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, adding a little more oil if needed so the bottom of the pan is evenly coated. Working in batches of two, place the fish in the skillet and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. When the edges look browned, flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the cooked fish to a plate, loosely tent with foil, and repeat with the remaining fillets. Do not discard the oil in the skillet.
- Make the dirty martini sauce: In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the shallots and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden. Stir in the olives and lemon zest, then add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring well. Pour in the dry vermouth and vodka and let cook for about 2 minutes so the alcohol can cook off.
- Finish the sauce: Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the broth, sugar, and juice from half of the zested lemon. Let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the butter until melted and smooth.
- Assemble and serve: Spoon the dirty martini sauce over the fish and top with the fried lemon slices. Finish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
Nutrition
- Calories: 545
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 1048mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 59g
- Cholesterol: 212mg