A festive presentation. The toughest part of this recipe is prepping the fish (see Boning & Prepping Flounder). Diners will think you slaved all day. It’s true that gutting and boning sea creatures is not for the faint of heart or tender scented, but the rest is a snap. With a little practice total time from prep to service is about an hour.
olive oil, spinach & mushroom -- big flavor, low calories
Flounder (serves 6)
- One 3 ½ lb flounder, boned
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Stuffing
- 8 oz spinach, stemmed
- 6 large button mushrooms, quartered
- 1 clove garlic, shaved
Preheat oven to 350°F. Steam spinach and mushroom seasoned with salt and pepper for 5 minutes. Remove and bathe in cold water to stop cooking, strain out liquid and set to the side.
be gentle. do not fully cook
Gut and bone the fish, seasoning the inside with salt and pepper.
master this technique & you're allowed to swear like a fishwife!
Rough mince the spinach and mushroom.
no need for gentleness here
Fill the fish’s cavity with stuffing and close filet flaps. Place fish on a ceramic backing tray that has been greased with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place shaved garlic on top of the stuffing. Rub remaining oil over the fish and stuffing.
ready for the oven in less than half an hour
Place in a 350°F oven, cooking twenty minutes per inch of fish thickness. In this case it will need a half hour. Baste 5 minutes before taking out of the oven to moisten stuffing. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
cooking time depends on the thickness, not the weight
Pairings: This goes well with hearty veg — steamed cauliflower, broccoli or carrot will work fine. A spicy salad, say one with arugula or radish, is also good. For wine try a robust white, like a chardonnay.
