Lemon-Caper White Wine Sauce for Fish

1. Cook Shallots

First, heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the minced shallots and cook, stirring frequently, for about 1.5 minutes. You'll know the shallots are ready when they've softened and begun to take on a bit of color, which signals they're caramelizing and adding a depth of flavor to your sauce.

2. Reduce Wine and Lemon Juice

Next, increase the heat to high and pour in 0.5 cups of dry white wine along with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Bring this mixture to a boil and let it cook for 3 to 5 minutes. This step is crucial as boiling and reducing the wine concentrates its flavors, giving your sauce a rich base. You'll want to reduce the liquid until it's about 0.75 cups.

3. Finish Sauce

Once the wine and lemon juice have reduced, remove the saucepan from heat and whisk in 4 tablespoons of chilled unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon of rinsed capers, and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley. If you prefer a tangier sauce, you can add the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice at this point. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve Sauce

Cover the saucepan to keep the sauce warm, stirring it once after about a minute to ensure everything is well combined. When you're ready to serve, give the sauce a final stir and spoon it generously over your cooked fish fillets. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side. If you have any extra sauce, pass it around the table to make sure everyone gets a good taste.