Flounder Taco Cuts in Hard Cider

There’s something special about flounder, or fluke, as I’ve always known it. It brings back memories of coming in from a day of weir fishing to Stage Harbor, the air filled with salt and sun, families and fishermen alike drifting in small skiffs with hand lines over the rails. The harbor would be alive. Sailboats, catboats, and working boats crossing paths as they came through the channel.

I can still picture small skiffs bobbing gently with someone hauling up a shimmering fluke from the harbor's bottom. Fish that had been lying in the sand, waiting for a passing squid, never suspecting they’d soon become dinner.

Today, that same fresh taste of local fluke lives on in our fresh-frozen summer flounder, caught at its peak and preserved perfectly for your table. Sweet, mild, and delicate, it’s a reminder of those easy harbor days and the honest flavors of our waters.

This recipe, Flounder Taco Cuts in Hard Cider, pairs that tender fish with the crisp bite of cider for a dish that’s as comforting as it is bright and perfect for a fall meal that bridges land and sea.

Flounder Taco Cuts in Hard Cider 

Serves 4 (reduce recipe by half for 2 servings) 

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup of pancetta

1 T all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups hard cider

1 bay leaf

1 pound of flounder taco cuts ( fluke, summer flounder, or yellowtail flounder work) 

1 egg yolk, slightly beaten

3 T heavy cream

Salt and pepper

Fried bread

Directions: 

Melt the butter in a pan over low heat. Add the garlic and pancetta, and cook gently for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for another couple of minutes to form a light roux.

Pour in the hard cider, season with salt and pepper, and add the bay leaf. Raise the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, until the sauce reduces slightly.

Turn the heat down low and nestle the flounder (or fluke) into the pan. Simmer gently for 7–8 minutes, just until the fish flakes easily. Carefully lift the fish onto a warm serving dish and remove the bay leaf.

Take the pan off the heat. Whisk together the egg yolk and cream, then slowly stir them into the warm pan juices (don’t let it boil or the sauce may curdle). Pour this silky sauce over the fish.

Serve right away with slices of bread fried in butter, or crispy toast, for dipping into that rich, cider-infused sauce.

Note: Adding poached eggs if serving at breakfast or brunch elevates the dish. 

About the Blogger- Shareen Davis:

Shareen Davis is the Marketing and Sales Manager for Chatham Harvesters Cooperative. A true seafood enthusiast with deep, generational roots in Chatham’s fishing community, she blends her love of local flavors with her passion for sharing the stories behind the catch.