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Za’atar Fish Piccata

Fish fillet coated in za’atar with lemon butter sauce spooned over the top
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This Za’atar Fish Piccata is a fast, flavour-led way to cook white fish. It follows the classic Italian piccata method but adds a Middle Eastern twist with za’atar in the dredge, giving the fish a fragrant crust with gentle acidity from sumac. The lemon-butter-caper sauce is sharp but balanced, and the za’atar ties it together with warmth and depth. It’s simple, elegant and full of character.

  • Author: zenak
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tbsp za’atar, plus more for sprinkling
  • 2 basa fillets, or any thin boneless skinless white fish fillets (around 1.5cm thick)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
  • 80ml white wine
  • 1 tbsp capers, drained
  • 120ml water or stock
  • 30g cold butter, cubed
  • 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste
  • small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Combine the flour and za’atar in a wide shallow bowl.
  2. Generously season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge in the za’atar flour, shaking off the excess.
  3. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Lay the fish in the pan presentation side down and cook until golden, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
  4. Add the garlic to the same pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant.
  5. Pour in the white wine and add the capers, then simmer until the alcohol smell has mostly cooked off and the liquid has reduced by half.
  6. Add the water/stock and cold butter, swirling the pan until the butter emulsifies into the sauce.
  7. Return the fish to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer gently, swirling the pan occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, around 2 minutes.
  8. Transfer the fish to serving plates. Return the pan to the heat and stir in the lemon juice and fresh parsley. Taste, adjusting the seasoning as needed, then pour the sauce over the fish. Add a sprinkle of za’atar to finish, then serve immediately. This is excellent with crispy roast potatoes and simply steamed greens.

Find it online: https://zenaskitchen.com/zaatar-fish-piccata/

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