# Sand Dabs with Lemon-Caper Sauce, Roasted Hokkaido Squash, and Melted Cabbage > Delicate sand dabs get a bright lemon-caper butter sauce alongside deeply browned Hokkaido squash and crunchy pepitas. Soft, caramelized cabbage with dill, walnuts, and anchovies brings a savory counterpoint—a good November supper with a little help from the freezer and yesterday’s vegetables. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/sand-dabs-with-lemon-caper-sauce-roasted-hokkaido-squash-and-melted-cabbage - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2026-11-09 - Recipe updated: 2026-11-10 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, pescatarian ![Sand Dabs with Lemon-Caper Sauce, Roasted Hokkaido Squash, and Melted Cabbage](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2Fa93500edaa160b6b.jpg) ## Pan-Seared Sand Dabs Drying the thawed fish thoroughly allows the delicate skin to brown without a flour coating. A short sear keeps the thin flesh moist. ### Ingredients - 1½ lb boneless, skin-on sand dab fillets, thawed - 2 tbsp ghee, divided - ½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Thaw the fish overnight in the refrigerator; remove it from vacuum packaging before thawing. Pat very dry, check for bones, and season just before cooking. 2. Heat a large nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the ghee and lay in a single uncrowded layer of fish, skin-side down. 3. Press gently with a fish spatula for the first 15 seconds, then cook for about 2–3 minutes, until the skin is lightly browned and the flesh is becoming opaque at the edges. 4. Turn carefully and cook for another 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on thickness, until just opaque and easily flaked; the thickest part should reach 145°F. 5. Transfer to warm plates and repeat with the remaining ghee and fish. Keep the skillet for the lemon-caper sauce, wiping out any burned residue. ### Notes - If using dressed, bone-in sand dabs, allow a longer cooking time and check doneness beside the backbone; tell diners to watch for fine bones. ## Lemon-Caper Butter Sauce Lemon and capers cut through the butter without overwhelming the mild fish. Adding cold butter off heat gives the sauce a light, glossy body. ### Ingredients - 3 tbsp capers, drained and briefly rinsed - 3 tbsp water - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste - 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced - 3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley - ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest - to taste freshly ground black pepper and salt ### Instructions 1. Pour excess searing fat from the fish skillet. Lower the heat, add the capers, water, and lemon juice, and simmer for 30–60 seconds, scraping up any lightly browned bits. 2. Remove from the heat and swirl in the cold butter a few pieces at a time until glossy. Do not boil after adding the butter. 3. Fold in the parsley and lemon zest. Taste for pepper, lemon, and salt, remembering that the capers are already salty. 4. Spoon over the fish immediately. ### Notes - If the sauce becomes oily or too thick, swirl in a teaspoon or two of cool water off heat. ## Roasted Hokkaido Squash with Pepitas High heat browns the squash’s cut faces while leaving the centers creamy. Toasted pepitas provide a crisp contrast to both the squash and soft cabbage. ### Ingredients - 1¾ lb Hokkaido squash, scrubbed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch skin-on chunks - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - ½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper - ¼ cup raw hulled pepitas - 1 tsp fresh lemon juice - 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, optional ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the squash with the olive oil, salt, and pepper, then spread on a metal sheet pan with space between the pieces. 2. Roast for 30–40 minutes, turning after about 20 minutes, until deeply browned on several faces and tender all the way through. 3. Spread the pepitas on a small tray and toast in the oven for 4–6 minutes, checking frequently, until puffed and fragrant. 4. Toss the hot squash with the lemon juice. Scatter with pepitas and optional parsley just before serving. ### Notes - Leave the tender edible skin on; cut away any especially hard or damaged patches. ## Melted Cabbage An initial sear builds browned edges, then covered cooking softens the layered leaves until they are silky. A short uncovered finish concentrates the cabbage’s sweetness. ### Ingredients - 1 small head green cabbage, about 1½ lb - 2 tbsp ghee - ½ tsp kosher salt - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper - ¾ cup water, plus more as needed ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Trim the cabbage and cut into 8 wedges, retaining enough core to hold the leaves together. 2. Heat the ghee in a wide ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the wedges on their cut faces, in batches if necessary, for 3–4 minutes per face, until well browned. 3. Return all the wedges to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and add the water. Cover tightly with a lid or foil. 4. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until a knife slides easily through the thickest part. Add a splash of water if the pan dries before the cabbage is tender. 5. Uncover and roast for 5–10 minutes more, until the exposed leaves have browned and the liquid is reduced but the cabbage remains moist. Finish with the dill, walnut, and anchovy sauce. ### Notes - For the leftover version, use about 4 cups already-cooked melted cabbage. Reheat covered with a few tablespoons of water at 350°F for 20–25 minutes, or gently on the stovetop, until it reaches 165°F; add the herb sauce afterward. ## Dill, Walnut, and Anchovy Sauce A chunky, oil-based dressing gives the soft cabbage crunch, fresh herbs, acidity, and concentrated anchovy savoriness. ### Ingredients - ⅓ cup walnut halves - 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped - ½ small clove garlic, finely grated - ½ cup loosely packed dill fronds, roughly chopped - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice - ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest - to taste freshly ground black pepper and salt ### Instructions 1. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Cool briefly and chop coarsely. 2. Mash the anchovies and garlic together in a bowl. Stir in the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and black pepper. 3. Fold in the walnuts and dill shortly before serving, keeping the sauce chunky. Taste before adding any salt. 4. Spoon generously over the warm cabbage, allowing some dressing to settle between the leaves. ### Notes - If making ahead, keep the toasted walnuts and chopped dill separate from the dressing until serving. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The cabbage and squash can share the oven, leaving the stovetop free for the delicate fish and its last-minute sauce. ### Instructions 1. The day before: thaw the sand dabs in the refrigerator, removing vacuum packaging before thawing. 2. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut and sear the cabbage, then transfer it to the oven covered. 3. 0:15 — Cut and season the squash. Put it in the oven on a separate tray. 4. 0:25 — Toast the pepitas and walnuts. Make the anchovy dressing, keeping the dill and walnuts separate until the end. Measure the lemon-caper sauce ingredients. 5. 0:40 — Turn the squash and check the cabbage for tenderness and moisture. Uncover the cabbage once tender. 6. 0:50 — Check the squash; remove when browned and tender. Keep the vegetables loosely covered and warm. Dry and season the fish. 7. 0:55 — Sear the fish in batches, then make the lemon-caper sauce. Fold the dill and walnuts into the cabbage dressing and finish both vegetables. 8. For a faster leftover-cabbage supper, start the squash first and reheat the cooked cabbage on the stovetop during its final 15–20 minutes; allow about 50 minutes total. ## Plating Keeping the components in distinct sections preserves the squash’s toasted edges and lets each sauce season its intended component. ### Instructions 1. Arrange the melted cabbage on one side of each warm plate and spoon the dill, walnut, and anchovy sauce over it. 2. Add the squash alongside and scatter with toasted pepitas. 3. Lay the sand dabs beside the vegetables, skin-side up. Spoon lemon-caper sauce over and around the fish and serve immediately. ## Leftover Path Separate storage prevents the nuts and seeds from softening and allows the fish to be reheated gently rather than cooked again with the vegetables. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in separate airtight containers. Use the fish and lemon-butter sauce within 2 days and the vegetables within 3–4 days of their original cooking date; reheating leftover cabbage does not reset its storage clock. 2. Reheat cabbage covered with a splash of water and warm squash uncovered in a 375°F oven. Add fresh herbs and reserved nuts or seeds afterward. 3. Warm fish covered in a low skillet with a spoonful of water until it reaches 165°F, stopping promptly to limit drying. Warm the sauce separately over very low heat, whisking in a little water if it separates. 4. Alternatively, flake the cold fish over a next-day salad with the squash, walnuts, dill, lemon, and olive oil. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.