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8-12 ounces walleye fillets Smoked paprika, salt, and pepper for seasoning (or your favorite seafood seasoning) Rice flour for coating 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 cloves minced garlic 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 tablespoons sun dried tomato pesto 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional) 2 ounces softened cream cheese 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (plus extra for garnishing, if desired) Salt, if needed, and black pepper to taste 1-2 generous pinches of crushed red pepper flakes Fresh basil for garnishing Cooked wild rice for serving
Instructions:
Lightly season the walleye with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Coat on all sides with rice flour (or regular flour). Place a medium sized skillet over medium high heat with the oil. Once hot, fry the walleye until lightly browned on both sides. Remove to a plate and set aside. To the skillet, add the butter and turn the heat down to medium. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth and cream. Add the pesto, lemon juice and zest (if using). Bring the mixture to a strong simmer. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the cream cheese and Parmesan until melted and thickened. Season with salt (if needed), pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add the walleye back into the pan and cook until it flakes easily with a fork and is heated through. Garnish with basil and another pinch of red pepper flakes and some Parmesan (if desired). Serve over wild rice. Yield: 2 servings
Notes:
The cream cheese will seem chunky for the first few minutes after adding it. Keep whisking and it will melt completely into the sauce. I made this recipe with Filippo Berio sun dried tomato pesto. This pesto does not have any added sugars unlike the other brands I looked at. It does contain cashews, so keep that in mind if you are concerned about allergens. If you choose a different brand, some pestos are thicker so you may want to scale back to just 1 tablespoon.
