Scientific Name:
Pleuronectes spp; Microstomus pacificus; Eopsetta jordani; Glyptocephalus cygnoglossus; Paralichthys dentatus
Common Name:
Rock sole, yellowtail flounder, sand dab, yellowfin sole, dab; Dover sole, Alaska Dover, American Dover; petrale sole, California sole; gray sole, lemon sole, witch flounder; summer flounder, plaice Northern fluke
Product Information:
Raw flounder ranges from tan to pinkish to snow white, but cooked meat of all species is pure white, lean, boneless and flaky with a mild flavor, ranging from bland to sweet. Taste and texture vary, depending on species. Petrale sole, with firm, delicate-tasting flesh, is considered the premier Pacific sole. Pacific Dover, with softer flesh, is a lesser-quality product. Cooked meat of smaller soles and flounders is delicate, while larger species like fluke or dab are firm and meaty.The sweet taste and firm texture of yellowtail flounder is often regarded as the standard to which other flounders are compared. Lemon and gray sole aren’t far behind.
Product Forms:
Fresh: Whole, Dressed (head on, boneless), H&G, Fillets - Frozen: Whole, Dressed (head on), H&G, Fillets, Blocks (mainly yellowfin fillets) - Value-added: Breaded/battered portions, Whole (stuffed), Smoked
Substitutions:
Other thin whitefish fillets
Cooking Tips:
Use wine, sauce, other liquids or moist vegetables to keep thin flatfish fillets from drying out. Avoid sauces and herbs that overpower their delicate taste. Thicker fillets are great for broiling, served with lightly herbed butter. The firm and meaty flesh of larger species like fluke or dab is good for rolling or stuffing. Small H&G sole — like rex or gray — can be grilled, baked or stuffed, but not filleted, because fillets would be too small.
Global Supply:
Canada, Iceland, Norway, Russia, UK, United States
