Plaice with new potatoes, Little Gems and sea beet butter

Serves: 4
Course: Main Course
Cooking Time: 0 hr 40 mins
Ingredients
  • For the butter:
  • 22g diced and softened butter
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • A handful of seabeet, washed and shredded, or 1 tsp dried dillisk
  •  
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large plaice fillets, skin on
  • 2 tsp creme fraiche or natural yoghurt
  • 2 Little Gem lettuce
  • 8 cooked baby potatoes
  • Salt and black pepper

1 Put the softened butter into a bowl then add the garlic, mustard, lime and seabeet.

2 Fold the mixture together with a spatula, giving it a good beating to make it light and creamy.

3 Roll the butter in clingfilm or parchment to make a nice tight log, then chill it for an hour or so.

4 Set the oven to 190 degrees.

5 Drizzle a little olive oil on a baking tray then put the plaice on top, skin side down.

6 Brush the fish with the creme fraiche, making sure you cover every part of it.

7 Halve the Little Gems lengthways, break up the potatoes and position them around the fish.

8 Drizzle the remaining oil over the fish, potatoes and lettuce, then season.

9 Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

10 When cooked, transfer on to warm plates, cut some slices of butter off the stick and put on top of the fish.

11 It will melt and release its aroma and flavour as it's put on the table.

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. He and his wife, Máire, run the Tannery restaurant and cookery school in Dungarvan, Co Waterford