Zesty Pan-Fried Fish with Crispy Capers, Butter Bean Mash and Asparagus

Asparagus is back! This nutrient-dense, cleansing vegetable is packed with fibre, folate and vitamins A and C. We’ve paired simple pan-fried asparagus with fresh zesty fish and a rich and creamy butter bean mash. Perfect springtime dish.

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This meal is very simple and doesn’t require any meal prep.

  • Patting the capers dry and the fish removes any excess moisture which will prevent the capers and fish from going crispy, plus reduces oil splatters.

  • This is a lighter meal, if you’ve got a hungry household to feed we recommend serving alongside some extra greens or crispy roasted potatoes.

 

Shortcuts

  • Instead of making crispy capers, just add the capers to the pan while cooking the fish.

Vegetables

  • Swap out asparagus for broccoli.

  • Swap out parsley for dill.

 

Protein

  • You can swap out the white fish for salmon if you’d prefer.

  • This meal is also delicious when swapping out the fish for pan-fried chicken thighs. You’ll just need to cook these for longer (approx. 5-7 minutes each side).

  • For a vegetarian option cook the asparagus and some broccolini or as you would the fish and serve on the butter bean mash with the caper, lemon sauce. 


Method:

  1. Simply add butter and oil to a large fry pan over a medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted add the broccoli and asparagus. Squeeze over the lemon juice and zest.

  2. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes until veggies are tender and chard in places.

  3. Remove from the heat and add the parsley and crispy capers an extra squeeze of lemon juice and zest. Top with a handful of walnuts or toasted almonds.
Ingredients

Butter bean mash 

  • 800g butter beans (2 tins rinsed and drained)
  • 1 small garlic clove (crushed)
  • 25g butter
  • ½ cup vegetable or chicken stock


Crispy capers

  • 3 Tbsp capers (drained and patted dry)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil


Asparagus 

  • 2 bunches of asparagus
  • 1 Tbsp butter or olive oil
  • Salt and pepper


Fish 

  • 600g white fish fillets
  • 1 lemon (zest and juice)
  • ½ cup of parsley (finely chopped)
  • 2-3 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
Method
  1. Start by preparing the butter bean mash, add butter to a saucepan over medium heat, and add the garlic and butter beans; cook for 1 minute before adding the stock. Allow the beans to simmer for 2 – 3 minutes.

  2. Add the butter beans to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth, return the mash to the pot, ready to be reheated closer to serving.

  3. To make the crispy capers, add the olive oil to a small saucepan over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the capers and fry until crispy (2-3 minutes). Remove the capers from the saucepan and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel.

  4. To cook the asparagus, start by adding the oil or butter to a large fry pan over medium heat. Add the asparagus and season with salt and pepper; cook for 2-3 minutes tossing frequently or until the asparagus is tender and charred in places.

  5. Time to cook the fish, pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper. Add butter and oil to a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the fish fillets to the pan. Squeeze over the lemon juice and zest.

  6. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes before carefully flipping the fish. Cook for another 1 – 2 minutes, basting the fish with the lemon and butter. (time will vary depending on the thickness of the fillets) Remove from the heat and add the parsley and crispy capers.

  7. While the fish is cooking, reheat the butter bean mash.

  8. Add some of the mash to each plate and top with the fish and the asparagus; spoon over the little bits of the lemony, buttery sauce from the pan.
Variations

Vegetables

  • Swap out asparagus for broccoli.

  • Swap out parsley for dill.

 

Protein

  • You can swap out the white fish for salmon if you’d prefer.

  • This meal is also delicious when swapping out the fish for pan-fried chicken thighs. You’ll just need to cook these for longer (approx. 5-7 minutes each side).

  • For a vegetarian option cook the asparagus and some broccolini or as you would the fish and serve on the butter bean mash with the caper, lemon sauce. 


Method:

  1. Simply add butter and oil to a large fry pan over a medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted add the broccoli and asparagus. Squeeze over the lemon juice and zest.

  2. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes until veggies are tender and chard in places.

  3. Remove from the heat and add the parsley and crispy capers an extra squeeze of lemon juice and zest. Top with a handful of walnuts or toasted almonds.

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