Download a printable recipe card.The dab, also called American plaice, is a Northwest Atlantic flatfish. As one of a 15-species groundfish complex, its biomass, fishing quota and landings fluctuate. But like all American commercial species, it is managed for sustainability and last year was fished at 79 percent of its quota limit in the Northeast groundfish multispecies sector program.

The Hippoglossoides platessoides is a right-eyed flounder with a range from southern Labrador to New York’s Long Island. It has a firm but delicate flesh that makes it perfect for oven baking.

This recipe calls for panko bread crumbs, which you can find in the grocery store, often in the Asian foods section. You can substitute with regular bread crumbs, or make your own with stale bread in a food processor.

I serve this dish simply with buttery steamed green beans. You can substitute almost any flatfish for the dabs.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 6-ounce fillets of dabs or your favorite flounder
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of dried thyme or 1 teaspoon of fresh, chopped fine
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Salt

Optional garnishes
Lemon wedges
Lemon zest
Flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preparation

Heat oven to 350.

Crack the eggs into a shallow dish and beat until combined. Add flour to one large plate. On another, combine panko, parmesan and thyme.

Cover a baking tray with a sheet of parchment. Dredge each fillet through the flour, then egg, then panko mixture. Lay them on the parchment, leaving a little room in between each. Sprinkle on the lemon zest and salt to taste, then dot evenly with butter.

Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.

Garnish with lemon wedges, zest and chopped parsley.