To Boil Plaice or Flounders
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Clean and empty the fish thoroughly.
Make an incision in the back of the fish.
Soak the fish in cold spring water with coarse sea salt and saltpetre (if using).
Cook and serve
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Cook the fish for 4 to 5 minutes, or longer if needed, without breaking them.
Serve with plain melted butter.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Plaice or flounders
- Firm white flesh that holds together and cooks gently in simmering water.
- Plain melted butter
- Adds richness and fat to the mild, lean fish when served.
The step that matters
Simmer rather than boil the fish. A rolling boil breaks up delicate white fish and toughens the flesh. Holding the water at a gentle simmer cooks the fish evenly while keeping it intact.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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