Zander Fillet with Lemon Caper Butter

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Speicherstadt

📍 Where this dish comes from: Hamburg · Speicherstadt
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Zander Fillet with Lemon Caper Butter, plated and ready to serve

Zander — known as pike-perch — is the fish of German lakes and rivers, prized above all others for its firm, snow-white flesh and exceptional clean sweetness, transformed into a masterpiece with just a few final touches. Bavarian lakeside restaurants serve it simply, allowing the fish to speak for itself, with only a gentle pan-fry and a classic lemon-caper butter beurre blanc to complement its natural delicacy. If Zander is unavailable, bass or tilapia are excellent substitutes.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients for Zander Fillet with Lemon Caper Butter

Zander Fillet with Lemon Caper Butter

Germany's most prized freshwater fish — pike-perch with firm white flesh — pan-fried to golden perfection and finished with a sizzling lemon-caper butter.
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: German
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 360kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 Zander fillets (or sea bass pike-perch)
  • 3 tbsp almond flour
  • 100 g cold unsalted butter cubed
  • 3 tbsp capers
  • Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
  • 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and white pepper
  • Lemon slices to serve

Instructions

  • Season fillets with salt and white pepper. Dust with almond flour.
  • Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high. Fry fillets skin-side down 4 min.
  • Flip carefully. Cook 2–3 min more until just cooked through. Remove to warm plates.
  • Wipe pan. Over medium heat, add capers — they'll sizzle.
  • Add lemon juice, then cold butter cubes one by one, swirling to emulsify. Add parsley. Pour over fish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 360kcal | Protein: 34g | Fat: 24g | Fiber: 1g
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Cooking Zander Fillet with Lemon Caper Butter in the kitchen

Health Benefits

  • Zander provides lean, high-quality protein with iodine and phosphorus, important for thyroid and bone health.
  • The butter sauce provides fat-soluble vitamins A and D, which support calcium absorption.
  • Capers contain kaempferol, a flavonoid studied for its antioxidant properties.

Pairs Well With

  • Roasted White Asparagus with Prosciutto
  • Creamed Spinach with Nutmeg
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