This time, we would like to introduce you to the flounder, which you are all familiar with.

Flounder is almost always on the menu of Japanese sushi restaurants, may have eaten once, too?

Personally, I like flounder and always order it at sushi restaurants.

Flounder live on the sandy bottom of the sea, and change their location depending on the season, from early spring to early summer in shallow waters and from summer to winter in deep waters. During the day, they stay still by diving into the sand at the bottom of the sea, with only their faces showing and their bodies the same color as the sea floor, and swim up to the middle of the sea to catch bait.

Although the flounder can be caught all over Japan throughout the year, Hokkaido has the largest catch, followed by Aomori and Miyagi prefectures.

It is in season during the cold season around December, and flounder caught during this time is also called "cold flounder.

Flounder at this time of year eat a lot of sardines and other food to build up their nutritional reserves before spawning, resulting in a very tasty flounder with thick, fatty flesh that is almost twice as fatty as summer flounder.

The flounder (Hirame) is a fish that looks similar to the flat fish (Karei), but it may be difficult for the average person to tell because the color and shape are similar, but the easiest way to tell them apart is by looking at the direction of their faces. There is a saying, "left-eyed flounder, right-eyed flounder," You can judge a flounder by the direction of its face, such as flounder facing left and flounder facing right.

 

 

Flat fish such as flounder (Hirame) and flatfish (Karei) are handled differently.

Although it can be grated into the usual three fillet, flounder is generally grated into five fillet. Flat fish is difficult to cut through with a kitchen knife, so it is handled while dividing it into five fillet four for the meat and one for the middle bone, as shown in the photo.　

The flavor profile of flatfish is characterized by its white meat and light flavor, but with an elegant sweetness. The "engawa," the muscle that moves the fins, has an exquisite, fatty flavor that is unmatched by other fish.

The fish has long been known as a high-grade fish in Japan, not only for its taste, but also for its clear and beautiful flesh.

（Photo: Flounder sashimi）（Photo: Flounder meuniere）

（Photo: Engawa flounder sushi）（Photo: Flounder carpaccio）

 

Flounder is well known to chefs and the public abroad.

It is also served in Italian and French restaurants as carpaccio or meuniere and is a favorite fish of many people.

 

Flounder can be caught throughout the year, but we hope you will try this time of year to enjoy flounder in its best condition, which can only be had in winter.

 

【Contact us】

Itabashi Trading Co., Ltd

Food Department　

Mr.TAKAYAMA  (Japanese, English, German)

TEL :+81-3-3248-1016（Workday 10:00～17:00）　

FAX :+81-3-3248-1008

Email: shokuhin@itabashi-trading.com