Bowl of Lemon Wine Sauce

Lemon Wine Sauce for Fish


California
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 5 oz
*
10 min
Yes		 This is my favorite sauce for fish, because it doesn't at all mask the taste of the fish. I paid for fish, so that's what I want to taste. Its actually more a dip than a sauce, but I spoon it over the fish.
This sauce is quite lemony as given, but you can balance to your taste by changing the ratio of wine to lemon juice. You could also use black pepper instead of the chili. The photo example is made with Scotch Bonnet chili. If your fish is an oily one, you can skip the butter, but if it is one with a dry mouth feel, you can increase the butter.




1/4
1/3
2
ar
ar
c
c
t


Lemon
White Wine (1)  
Butter, salted
Chili, fresh (2)
Fresh Herbs (opt)  

Almost every fish on our Fish Page (very large page) was tested with this sauce. I do not include salt, because there's usually enough mixed with the rice flour I dust the fish with for frying, or in the poaching water. Various finely chopped herbs also work very well with this sauce.

I always spoon this sauce over the fish on my plate. Then, when breaking up the fish, I tumble pieces in the sauce surrounding it. I always eat fish with chopsticks because they give me precise control over how I break it up.

  1. Seed CHILI and cut into fine threads and chop fine or as desired.
  2. If using HERBS chop them fine. This can be a mix of any of fresh Parley, Thyme, Oregano, Sage, Tarragon (not too much), Chives, Scallions, Cilantro - or whatever you have.
  3. Squeeze Lemon Juice and mix in a small sauce pan with White Wine, Butter and Chili. Bring to a simmer for a couple minutes to reduce the alcohol, then stir in herbs (if used) and turn down below a simmer to keep hot.
  4. Serve hot spooned over fish, or as a dip.
NOTES:

  1. White Wine:

      I usually use a lightly sweet wine such as Riesling or Gewürztraminer, but also may use drier wines such as Sauvignon Blanc. Suit your own taste.

  2. Chili:

      The object is flavor, not hotness, so a flavorful chili should be used. I often use a whole red Fresno, with the seeds removed. I also sometimes use 1/2 of a Manazana, or 1/3 of a Scotch Bonnet, both with seeds and membranes removed. For more information see our Chili Page.
  3. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
9jf_lemwfish1 060315 r 160419 ajg   -   www.clovegarden.com
©Andrew Grygus - agryg@aaxnet.com - Linking to and non-commercial use of this page is permitted.