Pan-fried Plaice with Bacon and Brown Shrimp (Scholle Finkenwerder Art)

This pan-fried plaice recipe is a traditional German seafood dish that is very easy to cook and big on flavour. The plaice fillet recipe can be prepared in less than 20 minutes and is a quick and simple dinner packed full of protein. The delicious brown shrimp and bacon in this recipe complement the subtle flavour of plaice making this a winning combination. 

Origin of "Scholle Finkenwerder Art "

This plaice recipe originates from northern Germany. The dish is named after a peninsular in Hamburg called “Finkenwerder.” This peninsular used to be a fishing village.

Plaice in German is “Scholle”. "Art" means "style" in English. And so this dish translates as “Finkenwerder Style Plaice".

You will find the plaice pan-fried and served with crispy bacon and brown shrimp. This dish can also be prepared by using a whole plaice stuffed with bacon and shrimp and then baked in the oven.  A variation to “Scholle Finkenwerder Art” is “Scholle Büsumer Art”. Here the plaice is only served with brown shrimp.

What is plaice? 

Plaice is a fish that belongs to the flounder family. They live on the sea ground and are brown to fit in with their surroundings. Plaice is a very popular fish to eat in Germany, as it's flesh is tender white and low fat. They live in the north-east Atlantic sea, north and east sea and black sea.

What does plaice taste like?

Plaice has a very subtle umami-like taste. It is not very strong, but the meat has a delicate texture. Plaice does not taste fishy. Therefore, this fish is well suited to be combined with other flavours.  

Is plaice an oily fish?

 No plaice is a lean fish. Its fat content lies under 2% which also makes it low in calories.

What fish is similar to plaice? 

You can substitute plaice with another flatfish such as flounder, lemon sole, Dover sole or dab. 

What are brown shrimp?

Brown Shrimp is a small shellfish that is similar in appearance to prawn but has a smaller, flatter body. They are greyish-brown raw but turn pink once cooked. Another name for brown shrimp crangon crangon, bay shrimp or sand shrimp. 

They are cooked whilst alive, mostly directly on the fishing boats. You tend to buy them ready cooked and peeled at the fishmongers. 

In the UK you tend to find the brown shrimp in potted form with butter and spices. You can buy brown shrimp at Sainsbury's or Waitrose, or any other fishmonger. 

The name for brown shrimp in German is “Nordseekrabben”, the name derived from their home “the north sea.” In Germany, you eat them in sandwiches, salads, or omelettes.  They have a distinct salty taste, which is somewhat stronger than the Asian shrimp variety. 

What is a substitute for brown shrimp? 

If you cannot get hold of brown shrimp where you live, you can replace them with ordinary prawns. In this recipe you can omit them entirely if you want, as the bacon will bring enough salty flavours to the dish. 

How to pan-fry plaice filets?

Frying plaice fillets in a pan is very simple. All you need is a frying pan, some butter and oil, flour and lemon juice.

You start by washing the plaice fillet with water and then season it with salt and pepper. Squeeze over some fresh lemon juice, before tossing the fish flour. Tossing the fish in flour will ensure that the flaky texture of the place will stay intact, but also give the fish a nice crispy outside. It is best to fry the fish in a mixture of oil and butter. This will prevent the butter from burning and you can achieve a higher temperature.

Scholle Finkenwerder Art Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 150 g/ 5 oz smoked bacon 
• 150g/ 5 oz brown shrimp 
• ½ onion 
• 15 g/ 0.5 oz parsley 
• 4 plaice fillets 
• 1 lemon 
• 4 tablespoon flour 
• 100 g/ 3.5 butter

Recipe Steps 

1. Dice the bacon in small cubes. Wash the brown shrimp and dry on a paper towel. 
2. Peel the onion and cube finely. Wash the parsley, and chop finely. 
3. Wash the plaice fillets and pat dry with a pepper towel. Spoon lemon juice over them and season with salt and pepper. 
4. Pour the flour onto a shallow plate. Toss the plaice fillets in the flour until they are covered. 
5. Heat a frying pan and fry the bacon until crispy. Then remove from the pan and set aside. 
6. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the frying pan. On a medium heat, fry the plaice for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and keep warm. 

7. Add the brown shrimp, onion, bacon and parsley to the pan and warm slightly.
8. Add 3 tablespoon of butter to the pan and leave to melt. 
9. To serve, place each fillet on a plate and spoon the brown-shrimp butter over it.

What to serve with plaice?

• Boiled potatoes 
• Fried Potatoes (Bratkartoffeln) 
• White Crusty Bread 
• Rye Bread 
• Green Salad 
• German Potato Salad

Storage Instructions

If you have any leftovers, wait until the fish has cooled down to room temperature, then you can transfer it to the fridge. Consume within two days. 

If you want to freeze your leftovers, I recommend storing the fish in the fridge for two hours before transferring it to the freezer. This way you will ensure that you maintain the flavours of the fish.

More Seafood Recipes

• Fischfrikadellen (German Fishcakes)
• Bremer (German Fish Sandwich)
• Pan fried Salmon with a Pomegranate Glaze
• Sumac Salmon
• Parmesan Crusted Cod