Plaice with Bacon and Mushrooms
Plaice with bacon and mushrooms puts a delicate, sweet flatfish next to salty smoked lardons and browned chestnut mushrooms. The fillets cook in just a few minutes in butter, so the bacon and mushrooms are done first and everything meets again in the pan at the end. A squeeze of lemon and fresh parsley cut through the richness. It is a quick midweek dinner for four.
- Total
- 30 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 330kcal
Choosing the right fillets for plaice with bacon and mushrooms
Plaice is a thin flatfish, so the fillets cook very quickly. Look for skinless fillets with a pale, moist surface and a clean smell of the sea, and ask the fishmonger for ones of similar thickness so they cook evenly. Frozen fillets are fine, as long as they are fully defrosted in the fridge overnight and patted very dry before frying.
Chestnut mushrooms have more flavour than white ones, and large flat mushrooms work too if you slice them thickly. Smoked lardons give the most flavour, but streaky bacon cut into strips works just as well.
Preparing plaice with bacon and mushrooms
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Prepare Wipe the mushrooms with damp kitchen paper and cut them into 5mm slices. Pat the plaice fillets dry with kitchen paper and season lightly with a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper. The bacon is salty, so go easy on the salt.
- Crisp the bacon Put the lardons in a cold large frying pan and set it over a medium heat. Fry for , stirring, until golden and crisp. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and leave about 1 tbsp of the bacon fat in the pan.
- Brown the mushrooms Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the mushrooms in a single layer. Cook for , without stirring too often, until golden. Tip them in with the bacon and keep warm. Wipe out the pan.
- Fry the fish in two batches Melt half the butter over a medium-high heat until it foams. Lay in two fillets and cook for . Turn them carefully with the fish slice and cook for more, until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. Move to a warm plate, then repeat with the remaining butter and fillets.
- Finish Return the bacon and mushrooms to the pan for 30 seconds to warm through. Spoon over the fish, squeeze over half the lemon and scatter with the parsley. Cut the other half into wedges and serve at once.
Serving ideas
Spoon the bacon and mushrooms over the fish and add boiled new potatoes. For a creamier version, try plaice with mushrooms and cream.
The fillets will not wait, so have the potatoes and a green vegetable ready before you start frying the fish.
Common problems and fixes for plaice with Bacon and Mushrooms
- The fish breaks up when you turn it.
- Wait until the underside has set and the edges turn white, then slide the fish slice fully underneath and turn each fillet in one go. Do not try to move it before then.
- The fish steams instead of browning.
- The pan was crowded or the fish was wet. Pat the fillets dry, make sure the butter is foaming and cook two at a time.
- The dish is too salty.
- Smoked lardons are salty, so season only with a pinch of salt. If it is still too salty, add more lemon juice and serve with plain boiled potatoes.
Frequently asked questions about plaice with Bacon and Mushrooms
How long does plaice take to cook in a frying pan?
About 3–4 minutes in total for a fillet around 1cm thick, 2 minutes on the first side and 1–2 minutes on the second. It is done when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily.
What can I use instead of plaice?
Lemon sole, dab or flounder cook in the same time. For a thicker white fish such as cod or haddock, allow 3–4 minutes per side.
What goes well with it?
Boiled new potatoes and a green salad or steamed green beans, plus a lemon wedge. Crusty bread is good for mopping up the butter.
How did you like the recipe?
4.6 / 5 · 34 ratings
