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Fish, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Baked plaice with shallots and potatoes

Baked plaice with shallots is a whole fish roasted over softened shallots, basted with white wine and butter, and served with potatoes. It serves 4, takes 50 minutes, stays easy to make, and costs €3.90 per person. The key is regular basting, which poaches the fish gently and keeps its thin flesh from drying out.

Tonight, a whole plaice baked over a bed of shallots, with white wine and a piece of butter.

Baked plaice with shallots and potatoes
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.90
Calories per person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Fall, Winter

Plaice is a flat fish with thin, delicate flesh that cooks quickly and lifts away from the center bone in neat white flakes. Baked whole over a bed of softened shallots, it soaks up the white wine and butter without drying out, as long as you baste it as it cooks. The result stays mild and slightly sweet from the shallots, finished with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon right before serving.

This is a good dish for a calm weeknight or a Sunday when you feel like cooking a whole fish without spending hours in the kitchen. It works well for guests too, since the plaice looks great straight from its baking dish, and steamed potatoes are really all you need alongside it. Mon Chou suggests it whenever you want a change from the usual fish fillets.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Whole plaice, gutted 2

Fruits and vegetables

  • Shallots 6
  • Potatoes 1 kg
  • Parsley 0.5 bunch
  • Lemon 1

Pantry

  • Dry white wine 20 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 60 g

Allergens Fish, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the peeled potatoes in salted water. 20 min

    Pick a firm fleshed variety so they hold their shape.

  2. Peel and thinly slice the shallots, spread them in a large buttered baking dish.

    Baking them for four or five minutes beforehand softens them.

  3. Lay the plaice on the shallots, season with salt and pepper, pour in the white wine and scatter with butter.

    Remove the dark skin if you prefer, it peels off easily after baking.

  4. Bake at 200°C, basting twice during cooking. 20 min

    The fish is done when the flesh lifts away from the center bone.

  5. Scatter with parsley, drizzle with lemon juice, and serve with the potatoes.

    Serve the fish right in its baking dish to keep all the juices.

Our tips to get it right

  • Butter the baking dish well before adding the shallots, this keeps them from sticking and makes serving easier afterward.
  • Pick a dry white wine you'd actually enjoy drinking, its flavor concentrates as it cooks and ends up right in the juices.
  • Let the fish rest for two minutes out of the oven before serving, the flesh finishes pulling cleanly away from the bone.

The variations

  • Swap the plaice for sole or lemon sole, both flat fish that cook just as quickly.
  • For a dairy free version, use olive oil instead of butter, the dish stays moist thanks to the wine and shallots.
  • To save time, cut the potatoes into small pieces instead of cooking them whole, they'll be ready about ten minutes sooner.

What to serve it with

  • Steamed or boiled potatoes
  • A simple green salad
  • A glass of the same white wine

Storage

Baked plaice keeps for one day in the fridge in a sealed container, no longer since its delicate flesh turns quickly. Reheat it gently in a low oven with a little of its cooking juices so it doesn't dry out. Freezing isn't recommended, the texture of the cooked fish would suffer.

Questions about this dish

Can I ask my fishmonger to prep the plaice for me?

Yes, ask them to gut it and scale it, so it arrives ready to cook. You can also ask them to remove the dark skin if you'd rather not do it yourself after baking.

How do I know when the plaice is cooked through?

The flesh should lift away easily from the center bone when you press it with a fork. If it still resists, give it a few more minutes in the oven and baste again.

Can I prep this dish ahead of time?

You can peel the shallots and potatoes in advance, but bake the fish just before serving. Its thin flesh loses its moistness quickly if it sits too long.

What can I use instead of white wine?

Swap the white wine for vegetable broth with a splash of lemon juice, the fish will still stay moist. The flavor will be a touch milder but the dish works just as well.

How long does it take to make a baked plaice with shallots and potatoes?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a baked plaice with shallots and potatoes?

About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a baked plaice with shallots and potatoes cost?

About €3.90 per serving, or €15.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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