Sole Meunière

While walking through the grocery store the other day I saw the most beautiful Dover sole fillets at the seafood counter.  I have never prepared Dover sole myself but have had it in restaurants many times and always loved it.  Since I was feeling ambitious I decided to buy some and take it home.  The fillets were perfectly small.  I got 2 fillets and they didn’t even measure out to 4 ounces.  Since Nick was going to be out of town I figured I would make myself something fancy one night… something he definitely wouldn’t care for but I knew I would love.  So I pulled out my cookbooks and looked for something French!

After a few minutes of scanning I found a recipe for Sole Meunière and decided that would be what I would try.  I love cooking and anytime I make just about anything, even if it’s boxed mac ‘n cheese I’m pretty happy with myself.  There is, however, a particular sense of pride that comes from preparing a dish that is classical and fancy.  When you are able to throw together a recipe that can usually only be found at the finest of dining establishments it really makes me feel accomplished.

So even though I do not own a fine white linen tablecloth (though I do have a plastic one!), even I didn’t have any candlesticks to put on the table (does a jar candle from Yankee Candle count? No? Damn.), and even though I was eating this dinner and my workout clothes because I’d just gotten home from a run I still felt particularly fancy that night as a I sat down to my perfectly sauteed Sole Meunière.

For those of you that have never had Sole Meunière it’s actually a terribly uncomplicated and unassuming dish.  It takes just a few minutes and tastes awesome.  It is my understanding that this a French dish.  (at least that is what Wikipedia tells me: Sole Meunière).  Sole is a light fish without much flavor so really it just ends up tasting like whatever else you cook it with, in this case that would be browned butter and lemon.  Yum!

4 sole fillets (3-5 ounces)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

Salt + Pepper

2 T. canola oil (olive oil will also work)

2 T. butter + 4 T. butter

1 1/2 T. lemon juice

1 T. parsley, minced

1) Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel and season the fish, on both sides, with salt and pepper.  Dredge the fish in the flour and shake to remove any excess flour.

2) In a pan over medium-high heat the oil until shiny.  Add the the 2 T. butter and allow to foam.  Add the fillets and cook, without touching them, for 2-3 minutes or until the the edges are opaque.

3) Flip the fillets and allow to cook for an additional 2 minutes or until done.  Transfer the fish to a paper towel.

4) In a separate pan over medium-high heat melt the remaining 4 T. of butter swirling it until it is golden brown.  This will take 2-3 minutes.  When it is brown and has a nutty smell remove from the heat and add in the lemon juice. Spoon the butter/lemon juice over the fillets and sprinkle with parsley.

5) Serve immediately, white tablecloths optional 🙂