This recipe for baked flounder in a creamy, cheesy sauce comes courtesy of Alton Brown himself
This recipe for Baked Stuffed Flounder is not just delicious – it’s also a great way to incorporate a healthy dose of protein into your diet, with around 24 grams of protein in just a 200g serving!
Flounder – a saltwater, brown-skinned flatfish, similar to plaice or sole – also provides both amino acids and healthy omega 3 fatty acids, plus minerals and vitamins like phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin B.
Flounder may not be the first fish you think of when planning meals, but its delicate texture makes for a beautiful dish. If you are cooking fish for the first time it’s a great one to try as it’s so easy to prepare!
Flounders are generally sold whole, although this recipe calls for fillets. Whilst it’s possible to buy it filleted, why not try purchasing a whole flounder and have a go at filleting it yourself?
To fillet a flounder…
- Hold the fish down with your hand.
- Put your fillet knife behind the head on one side of the fish and cut all the way down to the tail. Cut over the backbone – not through it.
- If the fish hasn’t been cleaned, remove the guts. Remove the head.
- Separate the fish from the bones by placing the fillet knife at the tail end and running it away from you on the angle of the backbone and over one side.
- Next, run the knife towards the edges of the fish, cutting it off completely at the very edge. Repeat this on the other side.
- Trim the fins and blood-lines.
You can eat the skin, but we only recommend doing this if you are pan frying the flounder, so that it goes perfectly crisp. When poaching, steaming or baking (as in this recipe), it’s best to remove the skin as it can go soggy.
Top tip: If the smell of fish puts you off cooking it at home, squeeze a lemon over it prior to cooking. This helps neutralize the fishy odor.
Other fish recipes you might like to try include British Fish and Chips, Tilapia Roulade and these yummy Fish Tacos!
Baked Flounder
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 medium Onion chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt plus extra for the sweat and for seasoning fillets
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 10 ounces Frozen Chopped Spinach thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 Lemon zested
- 1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper plus extra for seasoning fillets
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley Leaves chopped
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 cup White Wine
- 10 ounces Cheddar Cheese grated
- 24 ounces Flounder
- 3 cups Leftover Cooked Rice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Over low heat, melt butter in a pan. Add chopped onions and a pinch of salt, and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Once the garlic and onions have sweat, add the spinach and lemon zest until warmed through. Add salt, pepper and parsley, stirring well to combine everything. Remove heat and cover pan.
- Over medium heat, warm the heavy cream and wine in a saucepan. As the liquid simmers, add cheese in small additions, stirring well until melted.
- Season both sides of the flounder fillets with salt and pepper. Spread the spinach mixture onto each fillet, and roll tightly.
- In a casserole dish, spread cooked rice evenly, Place the flounder, seam-side down, on the rice and pour the creamy cheese sauce over each fillet.
- Cook uncovered for about 25 minutes. Once cooked, let cool for 5 minutes before serving.