January 21, 2026

Raw Flounder, Fragrant Leaves, Herbs, Citrus Dressing

Recipe by Josh Niland, Restaurateur & Chef

Serves 6

Bone soy sauce
2 × 400 g whole flounder
200 ml white soy sauce

Citrus dressing
2 limes (1 zested and juiced, 1 segmented and finely diced)
2 lemons (1 zested and juiced, 1 segmented and finely diced)
½ blood orange, zested, segmented and finely diced
2 tablespoons white soy sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon caster sugar, or to taste
½ pomelo (Chinese grapefruit), cells removed
½ telegraph (long) cucumber, peeled and finely diced
Pearls from 1 finger lime
125 ml extra-virgin olive oil
75 ml grapeseed oil

Garnishes
1 butter lettuce, leaves separated
Large handful shiso leaves
Large handful mint leaves
Large handful nasturtium leaves
200 g daikon (white radish) or kohlrabi, peeled and finely sliced on a mandoline

While raw flounder might not have the obvious allure of tuna or snapper, the flavour and texture of impeccably fresh flounder can surpass both. The acidity of the citrus dressing brightens and elevates its natural savoury qualities, while the bone soy sauce adds depth and umami that rounds out the dish beautifully.

If making the bone sauce feels like too much trouble, white soy mixed with a little good-quality fish sauce makes a perfectly acceptable substitute.

The fragrant leaves, herbs and crisp vegetables make this dish lively, textural and ideal for sharing with friends.

Bone soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Remove the fillets from both the top and underside of each flounder. Draw the blade of a sharp knife down the centre of the fish from head to tail, following the line of the spine, then sweep the blade across the left and right sides, staying as close to the bone as possible. Repeat on the underside to yield four fillets per fish. Refrigerate the fillets until needed.

Remove the gills and guts from the heads and frames. Place the frames on the prepared tray and roast for 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Transfer the hot bones and any cooking juices to a heatproof container, add the white soy sauce, cover and leave to cool completely. Strain and set aside.

Citrus dressing
Combine the lime and lemon juice and zest, blood orange zest, white soy sauce and caster sugar in a bowl, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

To remove the pomelo cells, make a small incision at the top of the fruit and peel away the skin with your hands, keeping the segments intact. Gently separate the segments, then carefully peel away the white membrane to expose the flesh. Using your thumb and forefinger, ease the cells from the segment.

Add the pomelo cells to the bowl along with the diced citrus segments, cucumber and finger lime pearls. Leave to stand for 1 hour to allow the flavours to mingle, then taste and adjust with additional sugar or white soy if needed.

Just before serving, whisk in the olive oil and grapeseed oil until emulsified.

To serve

Remove the skin from each flounder fillet by angling the blade of a sharp knife down towards the skin and sliding it between the skin and flesh in one smooth motion. Slice the fillets from head to tail into fairly thick slices, slightly thicker than is typical for raw fish, to better appreciate the texture.

Arrange the flounder slices on a serving platter and lightly brush with the bone soy sauce. Scatter the lettuce, herbs and sliced daikon or kohlrabi alongside.

Spoon the citrus dressing generously over the fish and leaves, ensuring a good distribution of fruit and dressing, and serve immediately.