How to Cook Skate Wing

A longtime French favorite, skate is becoming increasingly popular with American cooks as they discover just how buttery, flaky and flavorful the flat fish is. Don't be daunted by the fish's odd appearance, it's easy to cook and incredibly delicious. Here, four excellent ways to cook skate wing.

Pan-Fried Skate with Brown Butter and Parsnip Puree

The skate preparation pictured above, courtesy of Napa-based chef Ken Frank, keeps it simple: skate is dredged in seasoned flour, pan-fried, perched on puréed parsnips, and topped with browned butter, lemon juice, and toasted almond slices.

Skate with Mushrooms and Hazelnuts

This luscious dish is deceptively simple: skate stuffed with duxelles, a mixture of mushrooms and shallots, served alongside creamed spinach.

Skate with Capers and Brown Butter

A classic French preparation: skate is poached with herbs and sauced with a combination of pungent capers, vinegar, and browned butter. Boiled potatoes are the classic accompaniment.

Casarecce with Spicy Skate and Snap Peas

Chef Michael Toscano tosses a scroll-shaped pasta known as casarecce (fusilli is a good alternative) with skate so that some of the fish breaks down into lovely shreds.

Skate with Smoked Chile Butter, Capers, Tarragon, and Tomato Salad

Amp up the heat with star chef Bobby Flay's incredible smoked chile butter-dressed skate.