How and how much to cook flounder? How and how much to cook flounder

After boiling, the flounder remains juicy and tender. It is important to take into account some rules and follow certain recommendations. Any fish, including flounder, should be boiled only if it is fresh. If there is a smell that causes unpleasant sensations, then it is better to refuse to use such fish.

How to prepare flounder for cooking:

• before cooking, it is better to remove the fins from the flounder, cut off the head and get rid of the insides (the insides can be easily removed with a cut along the belly);
• flounder has practically no scales, so it is not necessary to scrape it (if you wish, you can cut the skin off the fish, this procedure does not imply much work and effort);
• if the flounder is frozen, then before cooking it must be defrosted (you should not do this with a microwave or in hot water);
• it is recommended to defrost the flounder in the refrigerator or in cold water (it is better to give preference to the first option);
• if the flounder is bought in the form of fillets, then such a product can be simply rinsed with running water;
• before and after cutting, the flounder must be washed (the remnants of the entrails in the belly of the fish can spoil its taste after cooking);
• you can cook the flounder whole or in pieces (it is important that during the cooking process the flounder is completely immersed in water);
• you can cook flounder in a regular saucepan or using any kitchen equipment (pressure cooker, multicooker, double boiler).

The nuances of cooking flounder:

• flounder is cooked quickly, so it is recommended to lay it in boiling water;
• if you don’t have a steamer, but you want to steam the flounder, then you can use a construction from a regular pan and a metal colander (you can use a metal sieve);
• you can enhance the aroma and taste of flounder with lemon juice (fresh lemon juice can be replaced with citric acid);
• if you add a small amount of vegetable oil to the water during cooking, then the flounder pieces will not lose their shape and will not boil;
• it is better to salt the flounder at the end of cooking (this rule applies to most types of fish);
• flounder goes well with bay leaves, peppercorns and dried herbs;
• you can cook an unusual boiled flounder if you pour white wine into the water (for 1 liter of water you need to take 1 glass of wine, but in this case it is recommended to complement the dish with parsley and dill);
• if soup or fish soup is cooked from the flounder, then the cooking process must be divided into two stages (first the flounder is cooked, then the fish is removed from the pan, and vegetables are boiled in the broth, after they are cooked, the flounder is returned to the dish and boiled for several minutes).

The flounder body is specific. This type of fish is literally “flat”. Thanks to this nuance, boiled flounder is easy to cook even in a deep frying pan. First, you need to pour such an amount of water into the pan so that the flounder, when immersed in it, is completely covered with liquid. Then the water must be brought to a boil and additional ingredients added as desired (salt is an obligatory component). First, the flounder must be boiled on one side, and then turned over to the other side.

How much to cook flounder

In a regular saucepan, the flounder, even as a whole, is cooked for a maximum of 20 minutes. If the fillets are cut into pieces, the cooking time can be reduced to 15 minutes.

When using kitchen appliances, the cooking time for flounder will differ slightly from the traditional method. In a double boiler, the fish will reach readiness in 25 minutes. In a multicooker or pressure cooker – in 15 minutes.

In the process of cooking boiled flounder, you can use additional ingredients not only in the form of spices, but also vegetables. In this case, you need to focus on the time of their cooking. If vegetables are cooked longer than flounder, then fish should be laid 10 minutes before they are cooked.