INGREDIENTS
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup chopped green onion bottoms (the white part)
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup green bell pepper
1/2 cup red bell pepper
1/2 cup yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion tops
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup minced garlic
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 lb. lump crabmeat
Optional: 1/2 cup panic breadcrumbs
4 to 4 1/2 lb. flounder, deboned and dressed (with head removed, keep tail)
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 ºF.
In a pot, melt butter over medium high heat.
Add the onion, green onion bottoms, celery, all three bell pepper colors, sliced green onion tops, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper.
Stir well and cook until wilted and all the water is cooked out of the vegetables, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, lemon juice, zest and lump crabmeat. If you find the filling to be overly moist, add the half cup of panko breadcrumbs.
Place the flounder on a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Fold back the flaps of the flounder so that it lays flat.
Sprinkle the tsp. of kosher salt onto the flounder.
Carefully spoon the filling into the solid side of the flounder, being careful to avoid the open flaps.
Fold the flaps back over the filling and position them to where they’re nearly covering all the filling.
Place the flounder in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the flesh is flaky and cooked through and the internal temperature is over 145 ºF.
Note: When using a more standard-sized flounder (2 to 2 1/2 lbs.), cut the recipe in half and proceed as directed. Cook time will also likely be shorter so watch closely and check internal temperature after 25 minutes of baking.
