Baked Fish with Lemon Cream
Pan-Roasted Fish with Lemon Mustard Cream Sauce
White fish gets the elegant treatment here with a silky cream sauce that balances sharp Dijon with bright lemon. The sauce comes together in minutes while the fish bakes, creating a restaurant-quality dish that's surprisingly straightforward to pull off at home.
DinnerGluten FreeLow CarbQuick MealsBakingSeafoodFish
Ingredients
- 4 filletsfirm white fish fillets (halibut, cod, or sea bass), 150-180g each, skinless and boneless
- 50 gunsalted butter
- ¼ cupheavy cream
- 2 clovegarlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tbspDijon mustard
- 1½ tbspfresh lemon juice
- salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1½ tbspshallots, finely minced
- fresh parsley, chopped(optional)
- lemon slices for garnish(optional)
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 200°C/390°F. This moderate temperature will cook the fish gently without drying it out.
- Arrange the fish fillets in a baking dish with enough space between them so they don't overlap. Pat them dry with paper towels, then season both sides generously with salt and pepper — the seasoning needs to penetrate the fish.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter, cream, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Microwave in two 30-second intervals, whisking thoroughly after each burst until the mixture is completely smooth and emulsified.⏱ 1 min
- Scatter the minced shallots evenly over the fish fillets, then pour the warm cream sauce over everything. The sauce should pool around the fish and coat the surface.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the fish flakes easily when pressed with a fork and the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Thicker fillets may need the full 12 minutes, while thinner pieces will be done closer to 10.⏱ 12 min
- Carefully transfer each fillet to serving plates using a wide spatula. Spoon the pan sauce generously over the top and finish with chopped parsley and lemon slices if using.