Breaded Plaice with Cold Dill-Caper Sauce, Butter tossed Herb Potatoes & Buttered Snow Peas
Breaded plaice with cold sauce was one of my absolute favorite school lunches growing up. I still crave this delicious meal from time to time, and since everyone in my family loves it, I make it regularly. Fresh plaice isn't always easy to find. Once, when the craving got the better of me, I bought frozen pre-breaded plaice from the grocery store. Never again! The sauce is even better if it’s made a day ahead, giving the flavors time to develop. The recipe yields a lot of sauce for those of us who are sauce lovers.
You will need
Fish:
1⅓ lbs. (600 g) fresh plaice fillets
⅔ cup (150 ml) all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
11¼ cups –1⅔ cups (300 ml-400 ml) plain breadcrumbs
Freshly ground black pepper
Butter, for frying
Canola oil, for frying
Fish brine:
2 cups + 1 tbsp (500 ml) water
¼ cup (50 ml) salt
Potatoes:
1⅓–1¾ lbs. (600 g – 800 g) potatoes (preferably small new potatoes or baby Yukon Gold potatoes)
1 tbsp (15 ml) butter + 2 oz (50 g) butter
Salt
¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) fresh herbs, such as dill and/or chives, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Cold Dill-Caper Sauce:
1⅔ cups (400 ml) buttermilk, drained in a coffee filter for several hours
¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) crème fraiche
1 cup + 2 tsp (250 ml) mayonnaise, Hellmann's or homemade
2 tbsp (30 ml) capers
¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) sweet, pickled cucumber, chopped
¼ cup (50 ml) pickle brine
1¼ cups (300 ml) fresh cucumber, finely diced
3–4 tbsp (45 ml–60 ml) fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon zest, finely grated
2 tsp (10 ml) honey
1 tsp (5 ml) Vegeta seasoning
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Snow Peas:
9 oz (250 g) snow peas, trimmed and halved
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter
1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic, finely grated
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For Serving:
4 lemon wedges
How to make it
Sauce:
1. The sauce is best made the day before, or otherwise a few hours before serving. This allows the flavors to meld. Prepare all the ingredients by draining them, chopping, grating, and mixing everything in a bowl. Place the sauce in the refrigerator and let it rest.
1⅔ cups (400 ml) buttermilk, drained in a coffee filter for several hours
¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) crème fraiche
1 cup + 2 tsp (250 ml) mayonnaise, Hellmann's or homemade
2 tbsp (30 ml) capers
¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) sweet, pickled cucumber, chopped
¼ cup (50 ml) pickle brine
1¼ cups (300 ml) fresh cucumber, finely diced
3–4 tbsp (45 ml–60 ml) fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon zest, finely grated
2 tsp (10 ml) honey
1 tsp (5 ml) Vegeta seasoning
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Brine the fish:
2. Mix the brine and stir until the salt has dissolved. Brine the fish for 1–2 hours in the refrigerator.
2 cups + 1 tbsp (500 ml) water
¼ cup (50 ml) salt
1⅓ lbs. (600 g) fresh plaice fillets
Potatoes:
3. Boil the potatoes with salt and butter. The butter helps bring out the flavors. Drain the water when they are done and let the potatoes steam off under a piece of paper towel.
1⅓–1¾ lbs. (600 g – 800 g) potatoes (preferably small new potatoes or baby Yukon Gold potatoes)
1 tbsp (15 ml) butter
Salt
Sugar snap peas:
4. Heat butter in a frying pan and add the sugar snap peas. Fry while stirring for one minute, then add the garlic. Fry while stirring for another minute. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat the peas quickly before serving.
9 oz (250 g) snow peas, trimmed and halved
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter
1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic, finely grated
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fish:
5. Remove the fish from the brine, rinse it, and pat it dry thoroughly. Season both sides with pepper and coat the fillets in wheat flour so they are covered all over. Shake off any excess flour.
1⅓ lbs. (600 g) fresh plaice fillets
⅔ cup (150 ml) all-purpose flour
Freshly ground black pepper
6. Dip the fillets in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs. Make sure they are completely coated with the breading. Let the fish rest for at least 10 minutes so the coating can set and adhere properly.
2 eggs, beaten
11¼ cups –1⅔ cups (300 ml-400 ml) plain breadcrumbs
7. Heat butter and oil in a frying pan and fry the fish on both sides over medium heat until nicely golden.
Butter, for frying
Canola oil, for frying
Butter- and herb-tossed potatoes:
8. Heat butter in a pan and add the herbs. Toss the boiled potatoes in the herb butter. Season with salt and pepper.
2 oz (50 g) butter
¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) fresh herbs, such as dill and/or chives, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
9. Serve the fried plaice with sugar snap peas, butter-tossed herb potatoes, cold sauce, and a lemon wedge.
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