4 Cooking Methods for Tasty Plaice Dishes

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Try grilling, baking, or pan-frying this British seafood classic

Reviewed by Marrow Private Chefs

Last Updated: October 2, 2024 References

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• Pan-Fried
|
• Baked
|
• Crumbled
|
• Grilled Plaice
|
• Ingredients
|
• Tips
|
• Warnings

|Show more |Show less

Plaice is a type of British flatfish which has bright orange spots, and is native to United Kingdom waters. Plaice is available all year round, and can be bought fresh or frozen, and filleted or whole. There are many ways to enjoy this high protein fish, including pan-frying, baking, crumbing, and grilling whole. Read on to learn a variety of cooking techniques for this fish, so you can enjoy it from the comfort of your own home.

Ingredients

Pan-Fried Plaice Fillets

• 2 plaice fillets (approximately 150 g each)
• 2 tbsp (30 g) of butter
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt
• Pepper

Baked Plaice Fillets

• 4 plaice fillets (approximately 150 g each)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 handful of chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup (50 g) of flaked almonds
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) of olive oil

Crumbed Plaice

• 2 plaice fillets (approximately 150 g each)
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup (150 ml) of milk
• 1/3 cup (50 g) of flour
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 cup (125 g) of breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) of olive oil

Grilled Plaice (Whole)

• 1 plaice (at least 2 lb 4 oz/1 kg), gutted
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) of olive oil

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Pan-Fried Plaice Fillets

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1. 
   1
   Heat up the butter in a frying pan. Use a high heat, and you will know that the pan is ready to use once the butter is foaming. A non-stick pan is best and will save you time cleaning.

   • You can substitute oil in the place of butter if preferred. Olive oil goes well with plaice, and 2 tbsp (30 ml) is a good amount to cover the pan and fry to perfection.
2. 
   2
   Place the fillets in the pan and fry the first side for 2 minutes. Lay each plaice fillet flat in the frying pan. Fry for 2 minutes and then carefully flip each fillet over, and cook for another 2 minutes, or until cooked through.

   • Most frozen plaice will be sold skinless, but if you buy it fresh with the skin, start with frying the skin side down first.
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3. 
   3
   Remove the fillets from the pan when cooked. You will be able to tell that the fillets are cooked through when they are opaque and flake easily. Place the fillets on plates to serve.
4. 
   4
   Season the pan-fried fillets as desired. Plaice is a light, fresh fish that goes well with simple dressings. You can squeeze lemon juice, with salt and pepper to taste across the fillets for a simple seasoning.

   • Lemon parsley butter also accompanies pan-fried plaice nicely. Combine 2 tbsp (25 g) of butter, the juice of ½ lemon, and a handful of chopped, flat-leaf parsley in a pan until hot. Drizzle over the pan-fried fillets for an easy dish. This is enough for 2 fillets.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Baked Plaice Fillets

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1. 1
   Preheat an oven to 180°C/356°F/gas mark 4. Make sure that the oven is completely heated before baking the plaice fillets. This will ensure that they cook correctly.
2. 
   2
   Place the fillets in an ovenproof dish. A medium sized gratin dish works best for 4 fillets. Make sure that there is enough room for each, and that they are not overlapping at any point.

   • Use a light coating of oil or butter to cover the dish. Baking paper also works well and reduces the mess to clean up afterward.
3. 
   3
   Season the fillets in the oven dish. Combine the lemon juice, chopped parsley, flaked almonds, and olive oil to make a salsa-type dressing.
4. 
   4
   Bake the fillets uncovered for 10-15 minutes. The time depends on the size of the fillets, and how cold the ingredients are to begin with. When the fish is cooked through, remove from the oven and leave resting for 1 minute, before transferring onto a serving plate.

   • You can tell that the fillets are cooked through when you make an incision in the middle of the fish, it looks opaque, rather than translucent like when it’s raw. Cooked fish will also easily break into flakes when it’s done.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Crumbed Plaice

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1. 1
   Combine the ingredients for the breadcrumb coating. Beat together the egg and milk in one bowl to make an egg wash. Then mix together the flour with salt and pepper to taste in a separate bowl. Put the breadcrumbs out on another plate.
2. 
   2
   Dip the fillets into the breadcrumb coating. Dip each plaice fillet into the flour mixture, and shake off any excess. Then dip each fillet into the egg wash. Finally, place the fillets into the breadcrumbs and coat fully.

   • Coating the plaice fillets in the breadcrumb coating can be done ahead of time if necessary, and then refrigerated.
3. 
   3
   Pan-fry the plaice fillets for 2 minutes on the first side. Heat up a frying pan over a medium heat with the olive oil. Place the fillets in the frying pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Flip the fillets after 2 minutes, and fry the other side for an additional 2 minutes or until coloured lightly on both sides.
4. 
   4
   Remove the fillets from the pan when crispy and golden. You will be able to tell that the plaice are cooked through when the flesh has changed from translucent to opaque. The breadcrumb coating will become golden.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Grilled Plaice (Whole)

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1. 
   1
   Rinse the fish in water. Use cool running water to gently rinse off the plaice, which removes any sand or grit if it's freshly caught. Make sure to wash your hands well before and after to avoid spreading bacteria around your kitchen.

   • To dry the plaice after rinsing, pat it dry with a paper towel. This also helps to keep the fish from getting tough or mushy when you cook it.
2. 
   2
   Trim off the fins. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to snip off the plaice fins. You can leave the tail on to create an impressive appearance for your dish.
3. 
   3
   Slash the plaice skin with a sharp knife. Make a long slash down the spine, and then 6 diagonal slashes stemming from it, with 3 each side. This makes the fish crispy.

   • Make the slashes on the top side of the fish, which for flatfish such as plaice, is the side that it’s eyes are on.
   • The incisions should be deep, but not go entirely through the fish. About 1 centimeter (0.4 in) deep works well.
4. 
   4
   Season the plaice. Brush the olive oil generously over the whole fish. Then season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
5. 
   5
   Put the plaice under a hot grill for 8-10 minutes. Place the plaice in an ovenproof dish, and grill using a medium heat. A larger fish may take a few minutes longer.

   • You don’t need to turn the fish during the grilling process, as it will cook evenly through.
   • Grilling with a medium heat works best for fish. This is because a heat too low won’t adequately cook the fish, but a heat too high will cause some parts to dry out and others to not cook fast enough.
6. 
   6
   Lift the fillets off the skeleton when cooked. Use a fish knife and fork to pull away the two top fillets from the skeleton. Then you can simply remove the skeleton by gently easing it out like a zipper. This will leave the two bottom fillets in the dish, also ready to serve.

   • You will be able to tell when the plaice is done because the flesh will be opaque and come easily away from the bone.
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Tips

• Thaw frozen plaice fillets in the refrigerator before cooking. This will give the best results and will ensure that the fish is properly cooked.
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Warnings

• Always keep plaice in the refrigerator until you begin to prepare it. This prevents the fish from spoiling and reduces the chance of food poisoning.
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