Although skate “wing” might sound exotic, skate is nothing more than a kissing cousin to sharks, as well as a delicious fish with delicately flavored, sweet white meat. It’s more prevalent on the East Coast; out West, you will probably need to ask your fishmonger to order it for you. Weighting the skate while it cooks keeps it from curling, making for even cooking and a nicer presentation. Be careful when you add the wine to the brown butter, because the mixture will bubble up and spit a little.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 2
Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cool water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes, or until just tender when pierced with a knife.
Step 3
When the potatoes have cooked for about 10 minutes, season the skate wing fillets with salt and pepper. Place a large, ovenproof sauté pan over high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is just smoking, add the skate wings and place a small weight, such as a heavy pot lid, on top. Cook for 3 minutes on the first side, or until golden brown. Remove the weight, flip the fillets, and place the pan in the oven. Roast for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the flesh easily flakes off the bone.
Step 4
Drain the potatoes and reserve. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat and continue cooking until the butter turns nut brown and becomes quite fragrant. Be careful that it doesn’t burn; the line between nutty and black is a fine one. Immediately pour in the wine and swirl to combine. Decrease the heat to low and add the potatoes to the pan, cooking gently until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the parsley, toss, and spoon the mixture over the skate. Serve.
