Brill
A flat fish of European waters closely related to the turbot and megrim, the oval-shaped brill has fine scales, pearly markings and alters its skin colour according to its habitat. Unusually both eyes are on the left side of the head. Brill's luscious white flesh is softer than that of the more expensive turbot. The average length is around 50cm but they can grow to 75cm and weigh as much as 8 kilograms. It's available most of the year but considered best from April to September.
In the kitchen
Brill is delicious simply cooked. It can be poached, steamed, fried, seared or grilled, then served with a classic French sauce such as champagne beurre blanc. Incorporate it in soup-stews such as bourride or, for something more contemporary, try it raw as part of a sashimi platter.
Varieties
It's worth noting that small brill, (those weighing less than a kilogram) should be cooked on the bone for maximum flavour. For fillet portions go for the larger fish, weighing 3-4 kilograms.
Preparation
Because its head is so large in relation to the rest of the body, and that of other fish, it can seem that a lot of the brill is wasted, however it is still cheaper than turbot. Brill is almost always sold gutted and is easy to fillet though the four fillets you get from a whole fish will not be of equal size. When cooking it on the bone, trim the fins and all the way around the fish, and cut off the head. You might also like to slash it length ways down the centre of the dark-skinned side, loosen the fillets slightly and break the spine in two or three places to help the fish hold its shape during cooking.
