NEIL'S RECIPES: WHOLE PLAICE WITH CAPERS, LEMON AND PARSLEY

“Whenever I see a whole fish like sole or plaice on a menu, I will usually order it. I find it’s a true test of the skill in the kitchen as it can go quite wrong. But when cooked well, a whole fish is a delicious, elegant and classic. The simplest of things, not over-worked or over-thought, just a fish cooked well in butter, on a plate. Ask your fishmonger to help removing the skin and the frills around the sides of the fish as they contain lots of little bones that you don’t want to eat.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 whole plaice, top skin, frills and head removed - get your fishmonger to do this for you

A little plain flour for dusting

4 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

200g unsalted butter

4 tablespoons miniature capers

1 handful curly parsley, freshly chopped

2 lemons

Good salt and pepper

Crispy celery leaves and organic tomatoes (optional)

METHOD

If you are cooking 4 fish you may not have a big enough pan - who does? - so cook one at a time and keep warm, they will be fine.

Season the fish all over with salt and pepper, and dredge in a little flour. Bring a heavy-based frying pan to a medium heat and add a spoon of rapeseed oil. Place the fish in the pan ‘skinned’ side down. Then add 50g of butter. Be careful not to get the pan too hot.

Baste the fish as you cook, and after a couple of minutes turn the fish over carefully and keep basting. After a 3 – 4 minutes, the fish will be nearly cooked but if it’s a big one, place the pan under the grill for a few minutes as well. Repeat for the other fish.

Remove from the heat and add the capers, chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add a touch more salt and a wee twist of pepper. Remember to check the fish is just cooked and if it needs cooking a bit longer then do so, but don’t over-cook it.

The flour gives the fish an almost protective coating and adds a little texture to the outside of the fish and helps to thicken the butter a bit for the sauce. The resulting sauce should have a nutty colour.

Remove the fish from pan and serve on a warmed plate with the parsley, caper and lemon butter spooned over the top. Give an extra squeeze of lemon and serve.