Whole Plaice in a Fish Clamp with Caper Butter & Samphire

Cooked on the bone, plaice is a wonderfully delicate fish. One of the great things about the Kasai is the robata rack, which lets you raise and lower the fish over the coals to achieve beautifully crisp skin without overcooking it.

Serve it drenched in buttery goodness with a vibrant samphire and parsley sauce for a simple dish that's packed with flavour.

Method

Prepare the Plaice

Pat the fish dry thoroughly. Score the thickest shoulder area near the head with two shallow cuts on each side.

Rub lightly with olive oil and season well inside and out with sea salt and black pepper.

 Load the Fish Clamp

Open the Kasai fish clamp and place the plaice centrally inside. Secure firmly so the fish is held tight but not crushed. Lightly oil the clamp bars to help prevent sticking.

Prepare the Grill

Set the Kasai grill to medium-high heat. For whole fish in a clamp, even radiant heat is better than aggressive flames.

Make the Caper Butter

Place a small pan on the edge of the grill. Melt the butter, allow to foam to become beurre noisette, add capers and lemon juice, simmer for 1 minute, then keep warm.

Grill the Fish

Place the clamp over the grill bars.

Cook for:

• First side: 5–6 minutes
• Turn the clamp carefully in one movement
• Second side: 4–5 minutes

If the fish is thick, stand the clamp briefly upright near the heat for 1 minute to finish around the bone.

The plaice is ready when the flesh flakes easily and pulls cleanly from the bone.

Grill the Samphire

Toss samphire with a little oil and place in a tray, basket, or foil over the grill for 1–2 minutes until hot and lightly charred.