Baked Skate Wings with Chilli Butter Sauce

Whether you chose a pescatarian lifestyle or you just enjoy fish and all seafood in general, you will definitely like these skate wings. I admit, when it came to fish, I used to just stick to the very few types I knew I liked, mostly cod and salmon.

But once I came out of my comfort zone and I stated experimenting more with fish recipes, that was a true game-changer. Baked Seabass with Lemon Butter Sauce still tops the charts for me, but I also enjoy Cornmeal Crusted Fish, as it reminds me of childhood and home.

If you like seafood, why not check my list of Pescatarian Recipes? I have lots of yummy recipes, from appertizers & finger food to mains.

Skate wings are quick to cook, like most white fish, and you don't even need to worry about the cartilage, once it's baked, the skate comes apart in shreds with a fork, and it's virtually zero mess to worry about.

Unlike other strong oily fish, shake is meaty and mild, so you can pair it with other stronger flavours, the chilli butter sauce I chose made a great match, boosting the flavours of the skate, rather than overpowering them.

Ingredients used for the skate wings

• skate wings - I bought the fresh at the local fishmonger's, but if you can only find frozen, make sure to defrost it beforehand
• lemon slices - lemons work wonderfully well with white fish, and any fish in general, it adds a lovely citrussy kick to it
• olive oil - for drizzling over the fish
• sea salt and pepper - to taste

How to bake skate wings

1. Arrange the skate wings onto a baking tray
2. Drizzle over the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper
3. Plate the lemon slices over the skate wings and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius ( 350 Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes

Ingredients used to make the chilli butter sauce

• dried chilli flakes - they works amazing in this sauce, giving just the right amount of spiciness, although fresh red chilli would work to if that's all you have around
• paprika - I used regular sweet paprika, but for an extra spicy kick, you can also use hot paprika
• butter - salted butter is usually my go to
• sea salt and pepper - to taste
• lemon juice - a little goes a long way in this sauce to add a fresh citrussy touch
• fresh parsley - for a bit of colour and extra flavour

How to make the chilli butter sauce

1. In a pan set over a low heat, melt the butter, add the chilli flakes and paprika and give it a stir
2. Season with salt and pepper, add the lemon juice and chopped parsley and mix again
3. Remove it from the heat
4. Drizzle over the skate wings once they are out of the oven

Expert tips

I did not bake the skate wings in foil, baked at the right temperature and for the right amount of time does not require foil, plus the skate wings are pretty flat, there is no risk of underbaking them.

If you choose to fry the skate wings instead of baking them, I would lightly coat them in cormeal or flour and shallow fry them in a large frying pan on both sides until golden.

What to serve with skate wings

We serve the skate wings with couscous and mixed vegetables, but there are lots of other sides you can choose from. Creamy mashed potatoes are another great option, and so are plain basmati rice, rice pilau, garlic butter rice or rice with vermicelli.

As for veggies, you can choose from any greens, salads, with my favourite being green salad, tomato and cucumber salad, Moroccan couscous salad and tabbouleh salad.