Crispy-Skinned Barramundi with Caramelized Lemon and Brown Butter Crumbs

Crispy skinned barramundi with caramelized lemon and brown butter crumbs is utterly delicious! Serve this buttery fish with rice, sauteed vegetables or a leafy green salad.

I have fallen in love with barramundi.

You remember last month when I shared with you that flavorful Thai Coconut Curry Poached Barramundi, right? Well I’m still fan-girling over this fish. For my friends that may have missed it, barramundi is a healthy and sustainable fish that you can find at your local Trader Joes, Whole Foods and many more retailers. Barramundi is a firmer white fish that is high in protein, low in fat and fewer calories than salmon… no offense salmon, we still love you.

So while I was at Trader Joe’s picking up more barramundi, it dawned on me that I wanted to make a recipe that was easy and showcased the fish in its entirety. No fancy sauce, no fancy herbs… just lemon. Okay and brown butter crumbs and couscous… but hey.

This recipe takes about twenty-five minutes tops. All you need is lemon, butter (holla!), Panko breadcrumbs, s & p… parsley flakes are totally optional however the barramundi is a necessity.

For the crumbs, start by melting four tablespoons of butter in a small skillet.

Heat over medium heat. The butter will begin to bubble and foam a bit.

Once the milk solids start turning that golden brown color…

…it’s time to turn off the heat and throw in the Panko. I chose whole wheat Panko crumbs because I had it in my pantry but you could use either kind.

Season with kosher salt, black pepper and the parsley flakes (which I primarily use for color).

Stir and set off to the side.

Barramundi has excellent skin for crisping. To achieve the ultimate crispy skin you’ll want to pat the skin dry with a piece of paper towel.

Heat a 10 inch skillet with enough extra light olive oil to coat the pan. Once the pan is hot, lay the barramundi down skin-side first and season the top with more salt and pepper.

Press firmly with a spatula so the skin crisps evenly. Cook the fish for 6-8 minutes or until 3/4 of the way cooked.

Meanwhile I sliced up a half a lemon into 6 wedges.

Then I ever-so-carefully flipped the fish, dropped in a few lemon wedges to caramelize and squeezed two lemon wedges into the center of the pan and not over that perfectly crisped skin.  

Oh and you’ll know when the fish is ready to flip because the skin comes away from the pan effortlessly. Continue to cook the fish for 3-4 more minutes letting it absorb that lemon juice, turning the lemon wedges once they have turned a deep brown on one side.

Once the barramundi is fully cooked, remove the fish to a plate or cutting board and carefully peel back the skin.

Throw the skin back into the pan (crispy side facing up) to crispy up the underneath. This should only take a minute or two. This step is totally optional, but it give the skin a crispy chip-like texture that I happen to love.

Serve the crispy skinned barramundi over couscous, rice or whatever you have on hand. Then top the Barramundi with Caramelized Lemon with the brown butter crumbs and garnish with a few of the caramelized lemon wedges. You’ll get to squeeze those beauts over top.

This barramundi with caramelized lemon dish is so rustic and yet so elegant. It all comes together easily and the flavor combo is one that any fish lover will enjoy. I made this recipe for my daughter and I and we both scraped our plates clean. I just know you’ll love this as much as we did!

Enjoy! And if you give this Barramundi with Caramelized Lemon recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

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Yield: 2 servings

Crispy-Skinned Barramundi with Caramelized Lemon + Brown Butter Crumbs

Barramundi is seared, crisping the skin and steamed in lemon. Served with brown butter breadcrumbs and caramelized lemon.

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 14 minutes mins

Additional Time: 11 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• olive oil
• 12 ounces barramundi fillets, thawed and the skin patted dry
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 6 lemon wedges
• 1 cup cooked rice, couscous, for serving

Instructions 

• In a small skillet heat four tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once the butter starts to turn a deep golden brown, turn off the heat and add in the Panko breadcrumbs. Stir and add in a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper, plus a half teaspoon of dried parsley flakes and set it off to the side.
• Pat the barramundi skin dry with paper towels and season it with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper.
• In a 10 inch skillet {preferably cast iron} add in enough olive oil to coat the pan and preheat over medium-high heat. Once hot, lay the barramundi skin-side-down into the oil. With a spatula, press the fish so the skin will crisp evenly. Cook the fish for 6-8 minutes or until it is 3/4 of the way cooked. Season the exposed barramundi with more salt and pepper before carefully flipping. You'll know the fish is ready to flip when the skin comes away from the pan effortlessly.
• Continue to cook the fish for 2-4 more minutes. Meanwhile place four of the lemon wedges in the skillet to caramelize and squeeze in the remaining two wedges into the center of the skillet {not over the fish}. Once full cook remove the fish to a cutting board and carefully peel of the skin. Lay the skin with the crispy side facing up and cook for a minute or two.
• Serve over couscous or rice, top the fish with half of the brown butter crumbs and garnish with a few of the caramelized lemons.

Serving: 1g, Calories: 571kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 145mg, Sodium: 258mg, Potassium: 667mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 712IU, Vitamin C: 29mg, Calcium: 87mg, Iron: 3mg

Author: Laurie McNamara

Course: Mains & Entrees

Cuisine: American