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How to Cook Flounder

Rimlee Bhuyan
Flounder is a white lean fish with a delicate flavor and a slightly flaky texture. To know how this lean fish can be prepared in a number of ways; read on...
Flounder is a flat fish which is amply available all round the world. The color of live flounder is tan or pinkish white, but cooked flounder is pure white. It has lean and boneless meat which is flaky with a mild flavor, therefore it is often cooked with wine, sauces and other liquids to keep it from drying out.

How to Cook Flounder in a Pan
Cooking flounder in the pan gives it a very crispy texture and an incredibly juicy flavor. The main drawback of this cooking method is that the fish tends to stick at the bottom of the pan, causing the flesh to flake off.
To prevent sticking of the fish in the pan, lightly oil the pan before frying. You can also coat the fish with a light dusting of flour or with dried herbs and spices. Here is a great recipe for pan cooked flounder.

Pan Fried Crispy Flounder

Ingredients:
  • 4 skinned flounder fillets
  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ⅓ cup fine dry bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons skimmed milk
  • 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 Lemon wedges
Method:
In a bowl, mix egg white, soy sauce, skimmed milk and garlic powder. Immerse the flounder fillets in the mixture and turn the fish to coat.
Make sure that the flounder fillets are well coated in the mixture. Now cover the bowl with a cling film and place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. In a zip lock bag, combine the bread crumbs and the grated Parmesan cheese. Now remove the fish fillets from the marinade and place them inside the zip lock bag.
Seal the bag, and then shake it gently so that the fillets are well coated. Do not shake the bag too vigorously or the fillets might crumble. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and cook each flounder fillets coated in cheese and bread crumbs. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until both the sides are golden brown. Serve the pan-fried fish with lemon wedges.

How to Cook Flounder in Oven
One of the best way to cook flounder is by baking it. Knowing when to take the fish fillet out of the oven is crucial, as over cooking it can make the fish dry. It is also very important to let the fish thaw completely before you begin baking it.
Marinating the flounder before baking, keeps the fish moist and also enhances the flavor. Make sure that you marinate the fish in the refrigerator and never at room temperature. If you are baking a stuffed whole fish, wrap it in aluminum paper before placing it in the oven.

Baked Flounder with Sour Cream

Ingredients:
  • ½ tsp. salt, 2 tbsp. capers
  • 4 tbsp. chopped dill, 2 flounder fillets, ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper, Cooking spray
Method:
Wash the founder fillets and pat dry with a paper napkin or kitchen towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over the flounder fillets and place them on a baking tray coated with cooking spray. Bake the flounder fillets in the oven for 7 minutes at 320º C. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with dill. Place it in the oven again for an additional minute.
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream with the capers and mix them thoroughly. Serve the baked flounder with the sour cream and caper mixture. This is one of the best baked fish recipes, that is also very easy to prepare.

How to Cook Flounder by Grilling
When you want to grill flounder, you should ideally start the fire in the charcoal grill about 30 minutes before cooking. When coals turn white-hot, spread it out in a single layer. Adjust the grill rack about 4 to 6 inches above the heat.
Founder fish fillets are best grilled over a moderately hot fire and on grill racks that has been well coated with oil. If you do not oil the grill racks before placing the fish, the flounder fillets will stick to it.

Grilled Flounder

Ingredients:
  • 2 flounder fillets
  • ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
  • ½ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Method:
Wash and clean the fish and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Apply oil on the grill and then place the flounder fillets on it. In a small bowl mix the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, Worcestershire sauce and Cajun seasoning. Apply this sauce on the flounder fillets and place them on the grill rack.
Turn the fish fillets after 6 to 7 minutes. Grill until the fish is flaky and soft and completely cooked through. 
When cooking a delicate and flaky fish like flounder, you should avoid turning the fish too many times while cooking it. If you keep on doing it, there is a danger of the fish fillet flaking off. Because of its mild taste, you can pair flounder fillets with tangy and robust sauces. Flounder can also be broiled or steamed with veggies to make a healthy dish.