Plaice with Hollandaise Sauce
Plaice with hollandaise sauce sets a thin, delicate fillet that cooks in a few minutes against a rich, lemony sauce of egg yolks and butter. The fish is fried gently until it just turns opaque, and the hollandaise is whisked over a pan of simmering water, so the whole dish is ready in 30 minutes. Serve it with boiled new potatoes and green beans or asparagus.
- Total
- 30 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 480kcal
Common mistakes with plaice with hollandaise sauce
Two things go wrong most often: a hollandaise that splits, and plaice that is overcooked. For the sauce, keep the heat gentle and add the butter slowly. For the fish, remember that plaice fillets are only about 1cm thick and need just a couple of minutes per side.
Make the sauce first and keep it warm over hot water, then cook the fish at the last moment, because the fillets are best hot from the pan.
Plaice with hollandaise sauce method
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- Prepare Squeeze the lemon and set 1 tbsp of the juice aside. Pat the plaice fillets dry with kitchen paper. Pour about 3cm of water into a saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Melt the butter Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat until it is hot and liquid but not browning. Keep it warm.
- Whisk the yolks Put the egg yolks, 1 tbsp of water and the 1 tbsp of lemon juice in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over the pan of simmering water, making sure the base does not touch the water, and whisk for until the mixture is thick, pale and leaves a trail.
- Add the butter Lift the bowl off the heat. Whisk in the butter a few drops at a time, then in a thin stream, leaving the milky solids at the bottom of the pan. Season with salt, white pepper and a little more lemon juice to taste. Keep the sauce warm in the bowl, set over a pan of hot water that is off the heat, and whisk it now and then.
- Fry the plaice Season the fillets lightly. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry two fillets at a time for on each side, until opaque and flaking easily with a fork. Keep the first batch warm under foil while you cook the second.
- Serve Put the fillets on warm plates, spoon over the hollandaise and scatter with parsley. Serve straight away with lemon wedges.
What to serve and what to try next
Boiled new potatoes and steamed green beans suit the sauce well, and in late spring a few spears of asparagus make a classic partner. A wedge of lemon on the side gives a fresh contrast to the buttery sauce.
For a simpler sauce, try plaice fillet with butter sauce, or baked plaice fillet if you would rather use the oven than a frying pan.
Common problems and fixes for plaice with Hollandaise Sauce
- The hollandaise splits or looks oily.
- The butter went in too fast or the sauce got too hot. Whisk in 1 tsp of warm water, or whisk the split sauce a spoonful at a time into a fresh yolk in a clean bowl.
- The egg yolks scramble.
- The water was boiling or the bowl touched it. Keep the water at a gentle simmer, and lift the bowl off the heat for a few seconds if it starts to look grainy.
- The fish breaks up in the pan.
- Plaice is thin and delicate. Pat it dry, use a hot pan, leave each fillet alone until it releases easily, and turn it just once with a fish slice.
- The sauce is too thick or too thin.
- Whisk in 1 tsp of warm water if it is too thick. If it is thin, it needs a little longer over the heat while you whisk the yolks, before the butter goes in.
Frequently asked questions about plaice with Hollandaise Sauce
What can you use instead of plaice?
Lemon sole, dab or flounder fillets work and cook in the same time. Thicker fish, such as cod or haddock, needs 3–4 minutes a side.
How do you know when plaice is cooked?
It is cooked when the flesh turns opaque white and flakes easily with a fork. This takes 2–3 minutes a side for a thin fillet.
Is hollandaise safe to eat if the yolks are only lightly cooked?
Yes, if you use British Lion-stamped eggs, which the FSA says are safe to eat raw or lightly cooked, including for pregnant women. Otherwise use pasteurised egg yolks.
Can you make hollandaise ahead?
Not really. It keeps warm for up to 30 minutes in a bowl over hot water, but it splits if it is chilled and reheated, so make it just before serving.
How did you like the recipe?
4.8 / 5 · 45 ratings
