Plaice Fillet with Parsley Sauce
Plaice fillet with parsley sauce is a traditional British supper that takes about 25 minutes. The fillets are so thin that they need only 2 minutes on each side in a hot pan, which leaves plenty of time to make a smooth, buttery white sauce flecked with parsley and brightened with lemon. Serve it with boiled new potatoes and peas for an easy midweek dinner.
- Total
- 25 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 355kcal
Keeping plaice fillet with parsley sauce juicy
Plaice is a thin, delicate flatfish, and the biggest risk is overcooking it. Because the fillets are only a few millimetres thick, they cook in 3–4 minutes in total. Take them off the heat as soon as the flesh turns from translucent to opaque, as they continue to cook a little on the plate.
A light dusting of flour gives the fillets a pale golden coat and helps them hold together in the pan. It will not make them crisp, and you do not want it to: the point of this dish is soft fish with a smooth sauce.
About parsley sauce
Parsley sauce is a classic British white sauce, made by adding chopped parsley to a béchamel. It is traditionally served with fish, especially cod and haddock, and also with boiled gammon. Use a flat-leaf or curly parsley and add it at the very end, so it stays green.
The method for plaice fillet with parsley sauce
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Make the roux Melt the 30g butter in the small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the 30g flour and cook for , stirring, to make a paste.
- Add the milk Take the pan off the heat and add the milk a splash at a time, whisking hard after each addition until smooth. Return to the heat and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, then cook gently for until thickened to the consistency of pouring cream.
- Finish the sauce Stir in the parsley, a good squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of the salt. Take it off the heat, cover and keep warm. Heat the oven to 100°C (80°C fan), gas ¼, and put plates in to warm.
- Prepare the fish Pat the fillets dry with kitchen paper. Season with the rest of the salt and some pepper, then dust lightly with the 20g flour, shaking off any excess.
- Fry the fillets Heat the oil and the 15g butter in the frying pan over a medium-high heat until foaming. Fry 2 fillets at a time for on one side, then turn carefully with the fish slice and cook for more, until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. Keep the first batch warm on a plate in the oven while you cook the rest.
- Serve Put the fish on warm plates, spoon over the parsley sauce and serve with a lemon wedge, boiled new potatoes and peas.
What to serve with it
Boiled new potatoes and peas are the traditional partners. Green beans or buttered leeks also go well alongside. For the same sauce with a richer fish, try salmon with parsley sauce. To cook the plaice in the oven rather than the pan, see baked plaice fillet.
Common problems and fixes for Plaice Fillet with Parsley Sauce
- The sauce is lumpy.
- The milk went in too quickly or too cold to the hot roux. Take the pan off the heat, add the milk a little at a time, and whisk hard. If lumps remain, whisk vigorously or pass the sauce through a sieve.
- The sauce tastes floury.
- The flour has not cooked out. Simmer the sauce for the full 3 minutes after it thickens, stirring so that it does not catch on the bottom of the pan.
- The fillets break up when you turn them.
- The fish was wet or the pan was not hot enough. Pat the fillets dry, dust with flour, wait for the butter to foam, and use a wide fish slice.
Frequently asked questions about Plaice Fillet with Parsley Sauce
How long do you cook plaice fillets?
About 2 minutes on one side and 1–2 minutes on the other in a hot pan. The fish is ready when it is opaque all the way through and flakes easily with a fork.
Can I use dried parsley?
Fresh gives a much brighter flavour and colour. If you only have dried, use 2 teaspoons stirred into the sauce at the end, and add a little extra lemon juice.
Which other fish goes with parsley sauce?
Cod, haddock, lemon sole and salmon all work. Parsley sauce is traditionally served with white fish, and also with gammon or boiled ham.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes. Make it up to 2 hours ahead, press cling film onto the surface to stop a skin forming, and reheat gently with a splash of milk, stirring, until steaming hot.
How did you like the recipe?
4.8 / 5 · 67 ratings
