The flounder(s) at Prahran market had been winking at me for weeks. Then Shammi from Shrewsbury told me she’d recently returned from a holiday to Borth, where I caught my first flounder. If you haven’t visited Borth do so, but do it when there is a spring tide. The sea recedes by almost a mile to reveal a magical petrified forest.
My Uncle Derek – the local postman – taught me to beach cast here. I used a 10ft fibreglass rod with a four oz weight. Within an hour the flounder was in my granny’s pan frying in butter.
today’s flounder is much larger and my pan is only just big enough to fry it in. First season the fish with Murray River Salt and any old ground pepper. Then melt a knob of butter and fry the fish on both sides.
Actually, my frying wasn’t that good, so while I finish the fish under the grill, I splash some wine into the pan and whisk in butter to make a light sauce. The fish is served with brocolini, sweet potato chips and a glass of crisp white wine.
I discovered how to make the sweet potato chips on Espirito Santo in the South Pacific. But that’s another story.
