A simple yet elegant way to serve fish – the delicate plaice is coated in a crunchy panko crumb
This is a very nice way to prepare plaice. It’s OK grilled and nice tranches are good roasted on the bone, but I don’t think anything can beat it cooked in breadcrumbs. This somehow brings out the best in this fish. The acidity and texture of a good chunky tartare sauce makes a perfect foil.
Plaice start to become good around May and they get fatter and juicier as the year goes on, well into August. If you can get a fillet from a kilo-plus-sized fish you can cut it into four portions. I think these are the best.
Overview
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
8 mins
Serves
2
Ingredients
- 2 handfuls plain flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 handfuls panko breadcrumbs
- 2 plaice fillets, weighing about 180g each, skinned (unless you like to eat the skin)
- vegetable oil for frying
- small handful chopped parsley (optional)
- lemon wedges, to serve
For the Rockfish tartare sauce
- 80g dill pickles, chopped
- 20g capers
- 25g red onion, chopped
- curly-leaf parsley and dill, chopped
- 125g mayonnaise
Method
Step
Put 2 handfuls plain flour, 2 beaten eggs and 2 handfuls panko breadcrumbs all on separate plates.
Step
Using one hand, one by one dip 2 plaice fillets (skinned, unless you like to eat the skin) in the flour, then beaten eggs and then the breadcrumbs, making sure you get a nice even coating.
Step
Put about 1cm vegetable oil in a pan and heat to about 160C. If you don’t have a thermometer, heat the oil until a small piece of bread dropped in quickly fizzles and crisps.
Step
Lay the fish in the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until crisp and golden, then drain on kitchen paper.
Step
Mix together 80g chopped dill pickles, 20g capers, 25g chopped red onion, chopped curly-leaf parsley and chopped dill, 125g mayonnaise for the tartare sauce in a saucepan and warm gently, then divide between 2 plates and spread out over the plate.
Step
Place the fish on top, sprinkle a small handful of chopped parsley leaves (optional) and serve with lemon wedges.
Recipe from Rockfish: The Cookbook by Mitch Tonks, which can be purchased from therockfish.co.uk