Preparation
- Pat the pike-perch fillets dry with kitchen paper, feel for pin bones and pull them out. Lightly score the skin and season the fillets on both sides with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
- For the salad, whisk the oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Wash the rocket and spin it dry, mix with the tomatoes and spring onions and dress only just before serving.
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat; it should not brown. Lay the fillets in skin side down and fry for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is crisp.
- Turn the fillets, add the chopped garlic to the pan and fry for a further 1 to 2 minutes; the flesh should be just juicy white and slightly translucent inside.
- Put the fillets on plates, drizzle with the garlic butter from the pan and garnish with parsley and a slice of lemon. Serve the salad alongside.
Drink with it
White wine · excellent match
Grüner Veltliner, dry Riesling or Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc)
Fine acidity cuts the butter and picks up the lemon, and the peppery character of the Veltliner suits the garlic and rocket without overpowering the mild fish.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosingSparkling wine · good match
Brut Sekt or Crémant
Bubbles and acidity cleanse the palate of butter and the roasted notes of the skin.
Sparkling wine, Champagne, and Prosecco: what's the difference?Junmai sake · good match
Junmai sake, lightly chilled
Mild rice notes and soft umami carry the garlic butter without getting in the way of the delicate pike-perch with acidity.
Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo: What do these mean for sake?Pale lager · good match
Pils or Helles, cool
Fine hop bitterness and carbonation refresh after the butter, and the slim malt leaves the fish in front.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?