Flounder Meunière is a classic French dish, featuring flounder as the main ingredient and finished with a sauce made from butter, lemon, capers, and herbs. After cooking, the butter develops a slight nutty aroma (resembling beurre noisette), creating a savoury and slightly tangy taste that is incredibly delicious.
What is Flounder Meunière?
The term "Meunière" originates from French, meaning "in the style of the miller's wife." During the medieval period, mills were widespread across Europe, powered mainly by water and wind to grind grains. Farmers would bring their crops, especially wheat, to these mills for processing, making mills the central hubs for food production in Europe at the time. As mills primarily produced flour, it is said that the miller's wife would dust fish with flour, then pan-fry it, and finish with butter, lemon, and herbs for seasoning. This cooking method became known as the "Meunière" style.
Which fish is suitable for making Meunière?
This dish is traditionally made with sole, but sole is not only more expensive but also not always readily available. Therefore, you can opt for other flatfish as substitutes. In this case, I used flounder. Other types of flatfish, such as turbot or halibut, are also well-suited for this dish.
Tips for Preparing Flatfish
In Western cuisine, flatfish are typically skinned because the exposed white flesh enhances the colour contrast with the sauce, making the dish more visually appealing. The skinning process is quite simple: first, make a small cut at the tail, then slide the knife between the flesh and the skin to create a small opening. Next, hold the tail down with one hand while gently pulling up on the skin with the other, allowing the entire skin to come off easily. Flip the fish over and repeat the same process on the other side. In just about three minutes, both sides of the fish skin can be removed completely.
Delicious Flounder Meuniere
This Flounder Meuniere is incredibly simple to prepare and requires only a single skillet, making it one of the easiest and tastiest French dishes! Throughout the cooking process, keep the heat at medium-low and sear the fish for 4 minutes on each side. This gentle heat prevents the fish from overcooking, preserving its moisture and ensuring a tender, silky texture.
It’s time to start cooking this irresistible French classic—pan-seared flounder with lemon butter! Watch the video below and scroll down for a detailed recipe and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients (serve 2)
Flounder | 1 each（400g） |
|---|---|
Salt | ½ tsp |
Plain Flour | 40g |
Unsalted Butter | 60g |
Shallot | 1 each |
Capers | 1 tbsp |
Lemon | ½ each |
Parsley | few sprigs |
Steps
1.
Cut the butter into small cubes. Finely chop the shallots, roughly chop the capers, zest the lemon, and cut out lemon wedges, keeping the core. Finely chop the parsley.
2.
Skin the flounder and trim the fins. Sprinkle both sides of the fish evenly with salt.
3.
Place the flour on a flat plate, then lightly coat both sides of the flounder with flour, ensuring a thin layer. Tap off any excess flour.
4.
Over medium-low heat, add half of the butter (30g) to a skillet. Once the butter melts and begins to foam, add the fish and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Flip the fish, add the remaining butter, and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until golden brown (timing may vary based on fish thickness). Once cooked, remove the fish and set aside.
5.
1. In the same skillet, add the chopped shallots and sauté until fragrant and softened. Next, add the capers, lemon wedges, and chopped parsley. Squeeze the reserved lemon core to release a bit of juice, then stir to combine the sauce.
6.
Plate the fish and drizzle with the lemon-butter sauce before serving.
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