White Roughy Fillet Recipe

Prepare fillets

Pat the white roughy fillets dry with paper towels. If fillets are thick (over 1 inch), butterfly or gently flatten to an even thickness about 1/2 inch for even cooking. Season both sides with 1 1/2 tsp of the salt, 1/2 tsp of the black pepper, and 1 tsp paprika. Set aside on a tray.

Prepare dredge and egg wash

Place the all-purpose flour in a shallow dish. In another shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and remaining 1/2 tsp black pepper until smooth. These three stations (flour, egg wash, almond mixture) should be arranged in order for efficient coating.

Toast almonds and make crust

Preheat a dry sauté pan over medium heat. Add the whole almonds and toast, stirring or shaking the pan, for 4–6 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden — watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove from heat and immediately transfer almonds to a cutting board to cool. Once cool, coarsely chop the almonds (you want some small pieces and some finer bits). Combine chopped almonds with the panko breadcrumbs, lemon zest, and 1/2 tsp fine sea salt in a shallow wide bowl or plate and mix well. The panko helps the crust adhere and stay crisp.

Coat the fillets

Working one fillet at a time, dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into the egg wash, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Press both sides firmly into the toasted almond mixture so the almond pieces adhere well. Place coated fillets on a lined tray and let rest 5 minutes to help the crust set.

Pan-sear fillets

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. When butter foams and the pan is hot, add 3–4 fillets (do not overcrowd). Cook 3–4 minutes on the first side until golden brown and the almond crust is crisp. Carefully flip and cook 2–3 minutes on the second side until the fish is opaque through the thickest part and flakes easily with a fork (internal temperature about 60°C / 140°F). Transfer cooked fillets to a warm oven (kept at 100–120°C) to stay warm while you cook remaining fillets, adding the remaining oil and butter as needed.

Make lemon butter finish

After all fillets are cooked, lower heat to medium-low. Add remaining 1 tbsp butter to the skillet, let it melt and foam, then add the fresh lemon juice and swirl to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt if needed.

Serve

Place fillets on a serving platter or individual plates. Spoon a little lemon-butter sauce over each fillet, garnish with extra parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately so the almond crust stays crisp.