Corvina Fish Meunière with Garden Rice and Crispy Yuca

Grilled corvina fillets in a classic French-Peruvian meunière sauce of butter, garlic, white wine, capers, fish stock, and lemon. Served with vibrant aji amarillo garden rice with corn, carrot, green beans and peas, and crispy fried yuca on the side.

20m Prep

30m Cook

50m Total

4 Servings

fish meunière corvina peruvian aji amarillo garden rice yuca capers white wine seafood

Ingredients

For the fish

600 g corvina fillets (or white fish) (cut into portions, patted dry)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
salt and pepper

For the garden rice

3 cup white rice (well rinsed)
1 piece red onion (diced)
2 piece garlic cloves (minced)
6 tbsp aji amarillo paste
1 tsp turmeric (palillo)
1 cup corn kernels (choclo) (kernels cut from cob)
1 piece carrot (small dice)
100 g green beans (cut into small pieces)
80 g green peas

For the meunière sauce

1 tbsp butter
3 piece garlic cloves (finely minced)
60 ml white wine
2 tbsp capers (with a little brine)
120 ml fish stock
Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
fresh parsley (finely chopped)
1 tsp cornstarch (dissolved in water) optional

For the yuca

400 g yuca (cassava) (pre-cooked, dusted with flour) optional

Steps

1

Sauté red onion and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper for 5–6 minutes until softened. Add aji amarillo paste and turmeric, cook 2 more minutes. Add water (same volume as rice), season with salt, bring to boil.

~8 min
2

Blanch corn kernels separately for 12–15 minutes. Blanch carrot, green beans, and peas separately to preserve their color. Set aside.

Tip: Cooking vegetables separately keeps them vibrant — they won't turn yellow from the aji amarillo.

~15 min
3

Add rinsed rice to boiling water. Cook on high for 1–1.5 minutes until water level drops to rice level. Reduce to minimum, cover, cook 12–14 minutes. Add carrot 5 minutes before turning off; add green beans and peas 2 minutes before. Mix in blanched vegetables gently.

Tip: Staggering the vegetables by cooking time ensures each one is perfectly done — not overcooked.

~15 min
4

Season fish fillets with a drizzle of vegetable oil, salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high. Grill fish 4 minutes per side.

~8 min
5

Dust pre-cooked yuca pieces with flour and fry in hot oil until golden and crispy.

~8 min
6

Make the meunière sauce: melt butter over medium heat, add garlic and cook a few minutes, stirring constantly (garlic burns fast). Deglaze with white wine. Add capers with a little brine, fish stock, Worcestershire sauce, and a little parsley. Adjust salt. If too thin, add cornstarch slurry gradually. Finish with 1 tsp lemon juice and remove from heat.

Tip: The sauce should be slightly thick but not heavy — add cornstarch slowly and stop when it coats a spoon lightly.

~8 min
7

Serve: plate garden rice on one side, crispy yuca on the other, place fish fillet in the center, and spoon the meunière sauce over the fish. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh parsley.

Tip: The sauce is generous enough to soak the rice and yuca — serve plenty.

~5 min

Nutrition (per serving)

480

Calories

38g

Protein

52g

Carbs

14g

Fat

Fiber

Cultural Context

Pescado a la Menier is a Peruvian adaptation of the classic French 'à la meunière' (miller's wife style) preparation, traditionally made with sole or trout dredged in flour and sautéed in butter with lemon. In Peru, corvina (white sea bass) is the preferred fish, and the sauce often incorporates capers and Worcestershire sauce for added depth. Arroz a la jardinera is a beloved Peruvian rice preparation colored and flavored with ají amarillo paste and palillo (turmeric), dotted with seasonal vegetables — a cornerstone of everyday Peruvian home cooking.