Easy Whipped Pimiento Sauce with Pan-Cooked Fish
I adapted this dish from one of my grandmother’s recipes. The sauce was basically whipped cream and pimientos, but I decided to elevate it a bit by adding cream cheese, along with garlic and green onion to complement the pimientos.It’s an easy sauce to make for any grilled, pan-cooked, or roasted fish. For this recipe, I’ve chosen to pan cook the fish, as that is typically my go-to cooking method for fish.The sauce is also a lovely base for grilled shrimp over crostini or paired with grilled chicken and roasted potatoes. One can never have enough sauce recipes!
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 4 ounces heavy cream
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves minced
- One 4-ounce jar diced pimientos strained
- 3 tablespoons sliced green onion
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Oil for pan cooking
- 1½ pounds fish such as cod, rockfish, haddock, halibut, snapper, petrale sole, or flounder, cut into 4 to 6 pieces, patted dry with a paper towel, removed from the fridge for at least 15 minutes before cooking
- Cornstarch or all-purpose flour for dusting
Instructions
- Whip the cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a bowl with a handheld mixer until soft, and then add the heavy cream. Continue to whip until light and fluffy.
- Fold in the garlic, pimientos, green onion, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the skillet, about 2 tablespoons.
- Season the fish with salt and pepper, then lightly dust it with cornstarch. Shake the excess off the fish.
- When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the fish (flesh side down if it has skin on it) to the skillet. If the skillet is too hot, lower the heat.
- Let the fish brown on the bottom, allowing it to cook at least two-thirds of the way through, 5 to 6 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. You’ll see it become slightly opaque on the sides. Remember the rule of thumb: Fish cook through in about 10 minutes for every inch of thickness.
- With a fish spatula, gently lift the fish off the pan and flip to the other side. Let cook until golden on the bottom and the fish begins to flake or separate a bit on the top. Transfer to plates or platter and serve with a dollop of the pimiento sauce.