Stewed Plaice is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of cleaned plaice that's stewed with onions in a butter, ginger and lemon juice stock which is thickened with eggs and served as a sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Stewed Plaice.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
298. INGREDIENTS.—4 or 5 plaice, 2 onions, 1/2 oz. ground ginger, 1 pint of lemon-juice, 1/4 pint water, 6 eggs; cayenne to taste.
Mode.—Cut the fish into pieces about 2 inches wide, salt them, and let them remain 1/4 hour. Slice and fry the onions a light brown; put them in a stewpan, on the top of which put the fish without washing, and add the ginger, lemon-juice, and water. Cook slowly for 1/2 hour, and do not let the fish boil, or it will break. Take it out, and when the liquor is cool, add 6 well-beaten eggs; simmer till it thickens, when pour over the fish, and serve.
Time.—3/4 hour. Average cost for this quantity, 1s. 9d.
Seasonable from May to November.
Sufficient for 4 persons; according to size.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
4 plaice, gutted and cut into slices about 5cm wide
2 onions, sliced
2 tbsp butter
15g ground ginger
600ml lemon juice
150ml water
6 eggs, well beaten
cayenne pepper, to taste
salt
Method:
Prepare the fish and cut into pieces about 5cm wide. Salt these liberally in a non-reactive bowl and set aside for 15 minutes to firm the fish flesh.
In the meantime, melt the butter in a pan, add the onions and fry for about 8 minutes, or until cooked golden brown. Set the onions in the base of a large pan, brush the excess salt from the fish then set on top of the onions. Now add the ginger, lemon juice and water.
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook slowly for 30 minutes (ensure you do not let the mixture boil, or the fish will not hold together). Remove the fish and set aside to keep warm. Pour the liquid into a heat-proof bowl and set aside to cool.
Once the cooking liquid is cool beat in the eggs then return to a pan and simmer until thickened. Arrange the fish in a shallow bowl, pour the sauce over the top and serve.
