Cod Francese

Lemon Cod Francese is a restaurant worthy dinner that your friends and family will love. The fish francese recipe features lightly egg battered fish in a lemon wine sauce.

Preparing seafood is one of my favorite ways to cook. Nothing beats fresh lobster, salmon, tuna, clams or oysters. And seafood has the added bonus of cooking quick, quick, quick! A delicious dinner is only a short time in the making. A dinner including a fish francese is always a favorite.

what is the difference between francese vs. francaise?

Lemon Cod Fish Francese is my twist on the classic dish of chicken francese. But many times the dish is referred to as fish francaise or chicken francaise. So what is the difference? According to some, francese is the Italian- American version of the dish. Francaise is reportedly the French dish. Ironically, both dishes include the same ingredients and in the same way. So call it francese or francaise. It's your choice.

how to make francese sauce

A francese sauce includes butter, flour, chicken stock, wine, lemon, and fresh parsley. Just a few easy steps are needed to make a delicious sauce.

1. After cooking the battered fish, wipe out the pan. Add butter and return the pan to medium heat.
2. When the butter has melted, whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the wine, stock, and lemon juice. Bring the sauce barely to a boil and cook stirring for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened.
4. Add the sliced lemon and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

chef cooking tips for making cod francese

• The key to a successful fish entrée is buying the freshest fish possible.
• Fish should never have an off or fishy smell. It should smell fresh like the ocean.
• Fish flesh should be firm and resilient with an even overall color. Avoid fish that looks dried out, discolored or has gaps in the flesh. When in doubt, ask the fishmonger which fish is the freshest.
• Cod is readily available, but feel free to substitute other white fish such as halibut, pollock, haddock, or striped bass if one of them is off the boat fresh.
• Dredge firm white fish such as cod in seasoned flour followed by a dip in beaten eggs.
• Pan fry until golden brown in a combination of olive oil and butter. Butter adds the rich flavor. Olive oil has a higher smoking point so it helps the butter not to burn.
• After frying the fish, wipe the pan out with paper towels. This will make for a delicious sauce without any of the little overcooked bits of batter left in the pan after frying.

what to serve with this recipe

Pair the lemon fish entree with easy side dishes like steamed broccoli or asparagus, or a fresh salad cherry tomatoes slices of cucumber tossed with olive oil, white wine vinegar, fresh basil, and a sprinkle of blue cheese and a loaf of crusty bread.

more seafood recipes

• Mussels Marinara - a super quick dinner! Better than any restaurant!
• New England Clam Chowder - creamy yet not too thick and loaded with briny clams. Just top with oyster crackers and serve.
• Lemon and Garlic Shrimp Scampi - a personal chef client favorite of the families for which I cook. Dine like royalty at home.
• Late Summer Lobster Rolls - no comment needed - just yum!

Recipe

Cod Francese

Lemon Cod Fish Francese is a restaurant quality entree that is easy to make at home. Fish is lightly floured, dipped in beaten egg and then pan fried. Finish with an easy to make lemon and wine sauce made velvety smooth with a pad of butter.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 286kcal

Author: Amy Casey

Ingredients 

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• ½ cup flour plus 2 teaspoons divided
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter divided
• 4 cod filets about 2-inches thick and 6 oz. each
• ½ cup white wine
• ⅓ cup reduced sodium chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ lemon thinly sliced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

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Instructions

• In a shallow bowl, whisk the ½ cup flour with the salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs.
• Heat a large sauté pan to medium heat and add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter.
• Dredge each piece of fish in the in flour mixture and shake off the excess.
• When the butter has melted and just begins to foam, dip the floured fish into beaten eggs allowing the excess to drip off.
• Fry the fish for about 4 to 5 minutes per side. The coating should be golden brown and the fish will be just cooked through. The internal temperature of the cod should be 145 degrees F. Transfer to a plate and loosely covered with foil.
• Wipe out the pan and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Return the pan to medium heat.
• When the butter has melted, whisk in the remaining 2 teaspoons of flour and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the wine, stock, and lemon juice. Bring the sauce barely to a boil and cook stirring for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened.
• Add the sliced lemon and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Turn the heat to low and add the fish back into the pan with the sauce. Ladle some of the sauce over the fish and simmer for about an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve the fish with the sauce and an additional sprinkle of parsley.

Notes

Use the freshest fish available for making fish francese. Cod, haddock, flounder, halibut, mahi mahi, pollock and striped bass are all good options.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.9g | Protein: 20.1g | Fat: 18.6g | Saturated Fat: 7.3g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 728mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.9g

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