Fillets of plaice fried in butter with bacon

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This is a lovely, rich way of serving plaice.  The sauce is basically a beurre noisette.  Serve as a starter of as a supper dish.

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

Cooking Time: 10 Mins

Total Time: 20 Mins

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

8 rashers          Bacon  - streaky smoked - halved          

2 tbs               Olive oil     

40 gms            Butter       

25 gms            Flour        

10 turns           Pepper  - freshly ground, white 

½ tsp              Salt          

8 fillets            Plaice       

¼                   Lemon  - juice of      

2 tsp               Fines herbes           

For the fines herbes

½ tbs              Chervil  - chopped    

½ tbs              Parsley  - chopped    

½ tbs              Tarragon  - chopped  

1 tbs               Chives  - chopped     

Method

Heat a grill to high.

Grill the slices of bacon for 1½ minutes on each side, until crisp.  Set aside and keep warm.

Heat the oil and 15 gms of butter in a large frying pan.

Season the flour with the salt and pepper and spread it over a large plate.  Cut each plaice fillet across in half and then dip the pieces in the seasoned flour.  Fry for two minutes on each side - until lightly golden.  Arrange them down the centre of a warmed oval serving plate, interleaving them with the slices of grilled bacon.

Remove the oil from the pan and wipe it clean, add the remaining butter and allow it to melt over a moderate heat.

When the butter starts to smell nutty and turn light brown, quickly add the lemon juice and herbs and then pour it over the fish and bacon.  Serve at once.

Wine recommendations

A robust white wine.

Conventional

     Burgundy blanc

Interesting

     Côte Chalonnaise blanc

     Crozes Hermitage blanc

     Lirac blanc

     Riesling