Pan-Seared Flounder with Lemon-Caper Brown Butter

Trim 250g fresh green beans. Mince 3 garlic cloves and 1 medium shallot. Finely chop 15g fresh flat-leaf parsley and 5g fresh dill. Grate 1 fresh lemon to obtain 1 tsp of zest, then cut the lemon in half.

In a medium saucepan, combine 200g uncooked orzo pasta, 250ml low-sodium chicken broth, 250ml water, and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is tender. Stir in 15g unsalted butter, 30g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and 5g chopped dill. Cover to keep warm.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 250g trimmed green beans and cook, tossing occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until blistered but still crisp-tender. Stir in half of the minced garlic (about 1.5 cloves) and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper, transfer to a plate, and cover with foil to keep warm.

Pat dry 450g raw flounder fillets with paper towels. Season both sides of the fillets with salt and black pepper. Place 30g all-purpose flour on a shallow plate and lightly dredge the fillets, shaking off any excess flour.

Wipe the skillet clean. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 15g unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter foams, add the dredged flounder fillets. Sear for 2 minutes on the first side until golden brown, then carefully flip and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes until cooked through. Transfer the flounder to a serving platter.

Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the remaining 30g unsalted butter to the pan. Cook, swirling constantly, for 2-3 minutes until the butter foams, turns a light golden-brown color, and smells nutty.

Add the minced shallot and the remaining minced garlic to the brown butter. Cook for 30 seconds. Pour in 60ml dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.

Stir in 2 tbsp drained capers in brine and 1 tsp lemon zest. Gently squeeze the juice from the lemon halves directly into the pan, stopping when they are about 80% compressed to avoid extracting bitter oils from the white pith. Swirl the pan to emulsify the sauce, then stir in 15g chopped parsley.

Spoon the warm lemon-caper brown butter sauce over the seared flounder fillets. Serve immediately alongside the creamy herbed orzo and garlic-blistered green beans.