Brill is a flat fish of the turbot family. It has a distinctive dark brown skin flecked with a white underside. Although sometimes difficult to distinguish from Turbot, Brill are more oval in shape and has a completely smooth skin, unlike Turbot which has little bumps on the surface which you can feel when you run your fingers over it. Brill has always played second fiddle to Turbot in Culinary Circles, however they are both interchangeable for cooking purposes, with a firm texture and sweet taste they are both extremely good fish. I find Brill to be a little lighter and less dense than turbot if slightly less sweet. It is also a less expensive alternative so is a good value option.

A very versatile fish, Brill is most delicious when pan-fried with a good basting of butter and its firm flesh makes it ideal for this type of cooking, however it is equally suitable for oven cooking or steaming if a healthier option is desired. It can stand up to strong flavours such as capers, garlic, chilli and lemon and is frequently paired with earthier flavours such as mushrooms and fresh aromatic herbs such as rosemary and thyme, it also combines well with sweet flavours such as tomatoes.

As with all flat fish, try to buy larger fish so that you get nice chunky fillets, it is available to purchase whole or in fillets from Atlantis of Kilmore Quay. This delicious fish is definitely worth a try this week, you will not be disappointed.