food & dining
Fabulous Flounder
I recently rediscovered the joys of
flounder. This fish is a blank canvas of del-
icate deliciousness, although it is often
overlooked as bland or plain. Flounder
cooks quickly and is extremely versatile.

The mild flavor makes it a good
“entry-level” fish for kids and people
reluctant to try seafood, but it can soar
into levels of sophistication with the
right preparation.

Last week, I bought two flounder fil-
lets at the farmers market from the fish-
erman who comes in every Sunday from
Barnegat Light with his fresh catch. As
it happened, the fillets were quite large
and, as a result, covered two nights’
worth of dinners.

In the past, I had been reluctant to
save fish for more than a day, thinking
that it would lose freshness and appeal,
but having spoken to several reputable
fishmongers, I learned that dabbing the
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fish with a paper towel to remove excess
moisture and then wrapping it tightly
with cellophane and sealing it in a bag
or container in the fridge for a day or
two (or the freezer for longer) is a great
way to keep the fish if you can’t use it all
on day one.

The recipes below span the spec-
trum of simple to sophisticated. The
pan-fried flounder hearkens back to
childhood, when this was standard
fare at dinners out with my family.

Breaded and crispy, it reminded me
why I liked it so much as a kid and
made me wonder why I haven’t made it
in decades. The second recipe delivers
a more sophisticated flavor, integrating
chopped capers and white wine into
the dish, but it is not so outre that it
won’t appeal to most people.

These recipes can be adapted to
many different types of mild white fish
— sole, tilapia, grouper, mahi mahi,
fluke, et cetera. Just be mindful of the
thickness and adjust the cooking times
for thicker fish.

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JUNE 2, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
Pan-fried, Breaded Flounder
Serves 2
The dry-wet-dry method of bread-
ing is a little clunky and makes for
additional dirty dishes, but you can’t
beat the results. If the fillets are large
and seem like they will be hard to
coat and flip, just cut them in half for
more manageable pieces.

2 flounder fillets, approximately 4
ounces each
2 tablespoons flour
Sprinkle of salt and pepper
1 egg
½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
¼ cup canola oil (approximately)
Lemons to serve
Set up 3 shallow bowls side by
side. In the first, mix flour with salt and
pepper. In the second, lightly beat the
egg. In the third, place breadcrumbs.

Dry the fish with paper towels, and
dredge it in the flour mixture, then
the egg, then the breadcrumbs to
coat thoroughly.

Heat the oil in a skillet; it should be
about ⅛-inch deep — this is a “shal-
low fry” method. The oil is ready to
cook when a breadcrumb dropped
into the pan sizzles.

Carefully place the fillets in the
pan and let them cook for about 2
minutes, then carefully flip. Cook the
other side for another two minutes
or so. The fish is done when both
sides are crisp and golden brown
and, when cut, is white and opaque
throughout and flakes easily.

Place the fish on a plate lined with
paper towels to absorb the oil. Serve
immediately with lemon wedges.

Flounder with Capers, Onions
and Wine
Serves 2
I was looking for inspiration in my
refrigerator on how to dress up the
flounder for dinner. I stumbled upon a
jar of jumbo capers, which I bought for
a recipe and promptly forgot about.

The capers added some interest
and flair and offered a good use of an
ingredient that sat around for ages. If
capers are not your thing, skip them
or swap out another savory item in
their place; try olives, artichokes or
sundried tomatoes.

A note: Jumbo capers are milder
in flavor, so if you use the little ones,
reduce the amount as indicated below.

2 flounder fillets, approximately 4
ounces each
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup jumbo capers, coarsely
chopped or 2 tablespoons small
capers ¼ cup white wine or broth
Heat your oven to 275 degrees F.

In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the
oil, and sauté the onion with the salt,
pepper and capers until softened.

Add the wine, bring it to a boil and
then reduce it by half.

Remove the pan from the heat,
spread the mixture to the edges and
place the fillets in the pan. Spoon the
onion mixture over the fish to coat,
and place it in the oven. Bake the fish
for 15 minutes or until it is opaque
throughout and flakes easily. Serve
immediately. JE
Photo by Keri White
KERI WHITE | SPECIAL TO THE JE