MEow writes:
>While frolicking around in rec.food.cooking, MrAoD of AOL
>http://www.aol.com said:
>
>>>>May we assume that the plaice (sole/flounder for da Merkins in da house)
>>>have
>>>>been beheaded, gutted, and/or skinned?
>>>>
>>>They've been gutted, but nothing else.
>>
>>Skin on?
>
>Yes, and they haven't been decapitated either. Do I need to skin
>and/or decapitate them before cooking them?

Decapitate or not, your preference. Merkins are more squeamish about head-on
fish than most other folks.

You don't need to skin them, I wouldn't, but again most folks of my
acquaintance/nationality don't like the visual or taste of fish skin. Plaice
skin is very mild so don't put yourself out if you don't need to.

>I'm pretty much a beginner at this, so I don't know these kind of
>things.
>
Everyone was a beginner at one time. You should've seen the hash I made of my
first trout . . .
>>>>Also, how long have they been in your refrigerator? Two-three days max,
>>>>otherwise you may as well compost them.
>>>>
>>>I bought them today, and plan to cook them tomorrow.
>>
>>Sorry I'm a bit tardy in my reply but . . .
>>
>No stress. I won't have them before dinner.

Enjoy. Chicken florentine for five on this side of the pond, courtesy of me.
>
>>>
>>>They're about 0,5 kg combined
>>>( http://members.aol.com/javawizard/numbers.html should convert to
>>>your local units)
>>
>>Two weighing in at a little over a pound? Kinda small but . . .
>
>I thought it was a pretty normal size.

Eh, around these parts a small (summer) flounder goes around .7 kg, or just
under a pound, but that's gutted, beheaded, and usually skinned. As I said,
Merkins . . .

>How long do you think would be
>appropriate to cook plaice that size, stuffed?

Baking, 20 minutes in a medium oven. Broiling, 10 minutes max.

>>>I'll have to admit that I've never stuffed food before (unless you
>>>count stuffing it into my mouth), so I'd appreciate it if you could
>>>tell me how to do that
>>
>>Most terse explanation I found since it's 5:30 am local and I haven't had
>>enough coffee to explain on my own:
>>
>>"Slice each flounder on the dark side down the middle. Slice toward the
>sides
>>making a pocket under the meat large enough to place the seafood stuffing."
>>
>>"Dark side" I take to refer to the top of the fish - dark skin - not the
>belly.
>> Cut along the center bone on either side, not all the way to the end of the
>>fish. Run your knife towards the edges, under the top filet but above the
>>ribs. Cut through the ribs on one side and remove center bone and the
>>remaining attached rib bones, then remove the detached rib bones. Pair of
>>needle nosed pliers works wonders.
>>
>>Then just roll your stuffing into an oval and slide into the resulting
>pocket.
>>
>>As for stuffings, florentine (spinach, ricotta or sour cream, and mushrooms)
>>comes to mind. Also, what Dmitri said . . .
>>
>I'll probably try something like what Dmitri suggested, as non dairy
>replacement for sour cream is quite expensive.

Well, spinach and shrooms are a current kick for me, so florentine comes
naturally - the dairy is pretty much a binder. You could substitute margarine
or some oil with breadcrumbs as a binder to hold your main ingredient(s)
together.

Good luck, enjoy, and bon appetit.

Best,

Marc