A Delicate Treatment to Match the Fish

When you head to the fish market, you may find small thin fillets of flounder, fluke, sole or plaice, or thick halibut fillets. As different as they may be in size, they are all related, part of the flatfish family — and delicate, mild and sweet tasting, with tender white flesh.

They are aptly named, for they are flat. While other species of fish are symmetrical, with eyes on both sides of the head, and upright swimmers, flatfish have eyes on just one side, and swim sideways.

They are also two-toned, with speckled and dark tops and pale bottoms, which help them blend in with their surroundings and keep predators from seeing them easily. They mostly spend their lives lying flat on the ocean floor, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting prey.

So how to choose? It can be confusing. The thing to know is that flatfish fillets are relatively interchangeable when it comes to preparing them, each one quick and easy to cook on the stovetop in a large skillet.

I usually opt for large, six- to eight-ounce flounder fillets, if they are available, or fluke (also known as summer flounder, but available year-round, go figure).

I take a classic approach, dusting the fish fillets lightly with seasoned flour, and browning them lightly on both sides in a little olive oil — about two minutes per side.

Then I transfer them to a warm platter while I make a quick butter sauce in the same pan. It is a simple matter of tossing a few chunks of cold butter into the hot skillet, letting it sizzle and begin to get brown and foamy, but not too brown (the flavor I’m going for is toasty and nutty, not burned).

A splash of lemon juice stops the browning and contributes acidity. A fistful of chopped parsley and a little chopped tarragon to finish is nice, though parsley alone will do. The sauce takes less than a minute, really, before it is spooned over the fish.

This is the kind of fast food that is elegant enough for company but easy enough for weeknight fare.

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RECIPE:

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

Salt and pepper

Pinch of cayenne

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 flounder fillets of equal size, 6 to 8 ounces each

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley

1 teaspoon roughly chopped tarragon

A few tarragon leaves, for garnish

Lemon wedges

Preparation:

1. Put flour in a low bowl or pie plate and stir in a generous amount of salt and pepper and a pinch of cayenne.

2. Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and tilt pan to coat bottom.

3. Season the fillets lightly with salt and pepper. Dip each fillet quickly into flour mixture, shaking off excess flour.

4. Lay fillets in skillet in one layer. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, until golden. Transfer cooked fish to a warm platter.

5. Leave the heat at medium-high and add cold butter. Let butter sizzle until foamy and brown, but do not let it burn. Add lemon juice, parsley and chopped tarragon and swirl to incorporate.

6. Spoon butter sauce over fish. Garnish with a few tarragon leaves and serve immediately with lemon wedges.