Crab Stuffed Flounder Recipe with Lemon Caper Sauce
This Crab Stuffed Flounder Recipe with Lemon Caper Sauce is a simple yet special dish perfect for celebrations or cozy family dinners. Rich crab, tender flounder and a bright sauce create a delightful burst of flavors!
Equipment
Ingredients
Crab Stuffed Flounder
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, plus more to sprinkle over the fish
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 8 ounce lump crab meat, slightly broken apart
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, finely diced (or any color bell pepper)
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 10 Ritz crackers, crushed, just shy of ½ cup (or bread crumbs / crushed saltines)
- 1½ pounds flounder fillets, (four ~6 oz fillets)
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Lemon Caper Sauce
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth, (or vegetable broth, seafood stock, white wine)
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice, from one lemon
- 1 tablespoon shallot, minced
- 2 tablespoon capers, rinsed
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, chilled
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, parsley, lemon zest, and Old Bay. Add the crab meat, bell pepper, green onions and crushed crackers; fold to combine.
- Lay the flounder fillets on a clean work surface (nicest looking side facing down). Divide the crab mixture between the fillets. Starting at the tail end, roll up each fillet and place in the prepared baking dish, seam side down. Brush or drizzle with melted butter, then season the tops with additional Old Bay. Bake for 25-30 min.
- While the fish bakes, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine chicken broth, lemon juice and shallot. Bring it to a boil over medium-high, then reduce to medium and simmer for about 7 minutes. Stir in the capers, then take it off the burner. Whisk in the chilled butter, once piece at a time, until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the parsley. Taste and season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Spoon the sauce over the stuffed flounder and serve.
Notes
Tips for Choosing + Handling Fresh Seafood:
- Seafood should have no smell or a briny ocean smell. If you get a whiff of ammonia, move on.
- For whole flounder, make sure the whole fish is packed on ice at the seafood counter or shop. Look for clear eyes, bright gills and firm flesh.
- For fillets, the flesh should be translucent and moist.
- When you purchase fresh fillets the day you cook, fill a baking sheet or pan with a layer of ice. Cover the ice with a sheet of parchment paper, and set the fillets on top. Cover and store in the fridge if you're not cooking right away.
- Frozen fish is a great alternative when fresh isn't available, but plan ahead. Remove frozen fillets from their packaging. Line a baking sheet with a tea towel or a couple layers paper towel and arrange the fish in a single layer. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. The towels will wick away excess moisture.
- Immediately transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate. Store the sauce in a separate container. Enjoy leftovers within two days.
- To reheat, place in a greased baking dish and cover with foil to retain moisture. Bake at 350°F until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 187mg | Sodium: 980mg | Potassium: 526mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1118IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 2mg
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