By Jodee Weiland

When my children were young, the time came when I wanted to introduce them to fish. I chose orange roughy because it’s a white fish with a very mild flavor that can be seasoned to taste. Once I chose the fish I would use, I decided to broil it with lemon, butter, and seasonings. That’s when I first made my Lemon Butter Orange Roughy. Years later, I added my father’s spicy lemon cabbage recipe to the meal and from then on, it became my delicious Lemon Butter Orange Roughy with Spicy Lemon Cabbage!

Broiling any fish isn’t rocket science, and most people know how to do this. The part that makes any fish a delicious meal is what seasonings you choose to add to the fish. I love fish when seasoned well, so when I chose what seasonings to use on my orange roughy, I chose those seasonings I felt would enhance the flavor of the fish. It still wasn’t all that complicated, but I’m sure you’ve heard of the saying “less is more.” Well, that saying holds true here. Too much seasoning and you lose the real flavor of the fish you are cooking. You want to enhance it, not smother it!

Lemon Butter Orange Roughy with Spicy Lemon Cabbage

2 to 4 orange roughy fillets
1 to 2 tablespoons whipped unsalted butter per filet
Onion powder to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Granulated lemon peel to taste
Paprika to taste
Poppy’s Spicy Lemon Cabbage (see recipe for this side dish)

Set the oven on broil. I set the oven on high broil. Rinse the fish fillets and place on a broiler pan. I use disposable broiler pans with fish because I feel it’s easier, but that’s up to personal preference. Put pieces of butter over each entire fillet, 1 to 2 tablespoons. Then sprinkle on the onion powder, the garlic powder, the granulated lemon peel, and the paprika to taste. I usually sprinkle each seasoning lightly over the tops of each fillet. Once done, put the fillets in the oven right under your broiler for 3 to 8 minutes or longer if needed, depending on the thickness of your fillets. Watch carefully so as not to overcook. The fish should flake away easily with a fork when done. My fillets took 6 minutes to cook.

My Lemon Butter Orange Roughy with Spicy Lemon Cabbage is delicious! Serve with slices of extra lemon, lemon cabbage, and a white wine. Poppy’s Spicy Lemon Cabbage, my father’s recipe goes well with orange roughy because of the lemon flavor, but you can serve any vegetable with it. It’s all a matter of personal preference when selecting sides. Whatever you decide to serve with this Lemon Butter Orange Roughy, you will love it, so enjoy!