Recipe: Fish Fillets with Marsala-Mushroom Sauce (Italian)

FISH FILLETS WITH MARSALA-MUSHROOM SAUCE

"Chicken Marsala has been a mainstay of Italian-American menus forever and with good reason. This fortified wine makes a lovely sauce that is also delicious with mushrooms, and, as Sicilians have long known, with fish and shellfish."

4 tilapia or American farm-raised catfish fillets (1 1/2 pounds)
Sea salt or kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
Extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup dry or semi-sweet Marsala wine, divided use
water (if needed)
10 ounces white or crimini mushrooms, trimmed, sliced
2 shallots or 1/2 small onion, chopped

Sprinkle both sides of fillets with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, patting the fillets to dust off excess flour.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Fry fillets until just brown on both sides; remove to a platter.

Add 1/3 cup of the Marsala to the pan and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add a bit of water if the wine evaporates too quickly. Pour sauce over the fish.

In the cleaned skillet, combine mushrooms and shallots with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until tender; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Stir in the remaining 1/3 cup Marsala. Return fish and sauce to the skillet. Cook over low until heated through, adding a bit of water if needed for a saucy consistency.

Serve fillets on a platter or four plates with the Marsala-mushroom sauce spooned over them.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Seafood alla Siciliana: Recipes and Stories from a Living Tradition by Toni Lydecker