Thank you Alan Charlton

Excellent stuff, Alan :D

About 3 / 4 years ago, I was fishing down at Marsden one night (not far along the beach from "The Grotto"). Young (mid 20's I guess - so that IS young to me...lol) lad comes out of the pub, down the steps and along the beach towards us.
He was Norwegian and was only in Shields for a couple of days. He said that he fished regularly at home and wondered what could be caught from the shore here. When I got to Flounder, Dab, Plaice.......his eyes lit up......."Flounder is my favourite of all fish to eat", he said. I replied that, aye - I liked the taste, but they were far to fiddly to fillet. "Fillet"??? he asked - "Don't fillet them, just gut them - remove the head, tail and fins and cook / eat them on the bone."

Ever since then.....that's what I've done and they're not fiddly at all to eat - the meat just comes away from the bones.

Mind you - having watched your videos, I'll probably have another go at filletting them, again.
My main problem is...................catching them first......lol
 
I have to agree there Tony I've always done the same ,gutted and top and tail then cooked ,no problem ,I'd never even thought of filleting, I will now though .
 
if you read the spiel at the beggining you will see i would not normally fillet a flatfish under 2-8-0 to 3lb, just gut and in the pan whole. Depends on how sqeamish you or your guests are, they might not like eyes looking at themm when they are eating.
 
I've always cooked them whole either in the pan or grill,not much point filleting smaller ones but like Nigel I was'nt sure anyway
 
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