Plaice
It is a predator belonging to the category of flatfish that lives in cold seas, in fact in the Mediterranean it is found only in the upper Adriatic.
It lives from a few meters deep near the coast up to 100 meters and usually reaches 50 cm in length.
How to see it?
It is a nocturnal predator, therefore during the day it lives lying on the bottom and partially submerged, as the turbot remains motionless and you have to be very careful to be able to see its little eyes.
Unlike turbot, which lives mostly on the sand, the plaice also adapts to muddy bottoms, so you can look for it there too. Some scholars say that it is able to change color according to the seabed on which it is located, to better hide from the eyes of its unfortunate prey.
Did you know that…
- Sometimes it is confused with plaice, which looks a lot like it, and with which it can form hybrids.
- As with all flatfish, when its larva is born it is platonic and “typical”, at that point, the correct eye relocates to one side and the struggle starts to live on its side.
- A female can lay up to 2 million eggs at a time.
A Recipe with Plaid
Tricolor plaice fillets
Ingredients for two people:
- 4 fillets of flounder;
- 1 medium-sized zucchini;
- 12 cherry tomatoes;
- ½ leek;
- 1 glass of white wine;
- olive oil;
- salt;
- pepper;
Preparation:
If you haven’t found the fish already in fillets, let’s start to fillet it. It should be remembered that 4 fillets are obtained from a fish, so for two people, who do not eat too much, one may be enough. Put a pot full of water on the fire and once it comes to a boil, immerse the fish, holding it by the tail, for two or three seconds. Then place it on a cutting board, with the tail facing you.
To skin the whole fish, make a cut at the junction between the tail and the body. Lift the skin with your fingers and peel the skin off the flesh. To make the operation easier, dip your thumbs in the salt. Now cut the head of the fish, then take a knife with a flexible blade and hold the blade close to the bones, insert it under the meat and remove the first fillet. Turn the fish and repeat the operation.
Once the fillets are obtained, beat them and proceed to the preparation of the sauce. Take the courgette and cut it thinly, the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the leek.
Take a large pan, pour in two tablespoons of olive oil and heat it, then pour the leek and let it brown, at this point add the zucchini, and after a few minutes add the tomato.
Sauté for a few minutes, then pour everything into a smaller pan and put the fillets in the pan, adding a drop of white wine and a pinch of salt.
The fillets are cooked for two minutes per side over high heat. After this time, serve and place the vegetables on top of the fish with a spoon. Enjoy your meal.
Together with this fish, a good Verdi so wine from the Treviso hills goes very well.
Alternatively, choose a fairly fruity wine, with a fresh and slightly acidic flavor.
