Plaice fillets

Catching area

You can find the fish in the north-eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean, which is also known as FAO fishing area 27. The fish can also be found off all coasts from the Barents Sea to the Mediterranean. The European plaice is a very important fish for the Dutch fishing industry and the European market.

The European plaice can be characterised by its brown skin with reddish or orange spots and its bony ridge between the eyes. The fish has a mild and slightly sweet flavour and its flesh is white and tender. It is especially tender in the spring, which is why there is a lot of trade in plaice around May. In Germany they call this ‘Maischolle’. When it comes to food, plaice fillets are really healthy. Just like every fish product, they contain a lot of B vitamins and protein. Plaice fillets are also low in calories, which makes them suitable for people who are on diets too. The fillets also do not contain any carbohydrates, unless you bread or batter them of course.

Plaice is popular in a lot of countries. However, we export our plaice fillets mainly to the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom they sometimes use the fillets as the fish in fish and chips. Fish and chips is a dish which consists of battered fish and deep-fried chips. You can serve fish and chips with mushy peas as a side dish too. Another way to prepare plaice fillets is to season them with some herbs, sea salt, olive oil and lemon juice and bake it in the oven. Plaice fillets are also delicious when you roll them up and stuff them with tomato and basil. You can serve them with a leek and cheddar topping too.