SOLE MEUNIÈRE I grew up in a family where fish reigned at the table and, when choosing menus, definitely beat meat 10 to 1.
One of my first experiences, if you can call it that, with this dish was as a child tasting sole meunière, which my dad Peo used to make and I literally adored.
He didn’t exactly follow the original recipe; his version had the usual thousand variations — yes, because if there’s one thing that characterizes my father in the kitchen – and he’s an excellent cook – it’s that he never follows recipes to the letter. He always has to add his own touch, sometimes creating masterpieces, though not always!
Fortunately for me, his version of sole meunière was delicious!
When it came time for me to cook it, as an adult, I preferred to follow the original recipe exactly to understand the flavors and then possibly make my own variations.
It’s an easy and quick recipe to make, very tasty, with a delicate yet decisive flavor that will please even those who aren’t crazy about fish.
Try it and see for yourself! And if you want to make your own variations like Dad Peo did, go ahead — I made mine and reveal them at the end of the recipe in the tips.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 4 sole fillets
- 6 tbsp Butter
- 1 lemon (juice)
- 1 bunch Parsley
- to taste Flour
- to taste Milk
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper (ground)
Preparation
When you buy the sole from the fishmonger, ask them to clean it for you — it will save you some time and effort. If they don’t, don’t worry; I’ll explain how to clean them right away.
First make a small cut on the light-skinned side at the base of the tail, grab the edge of the skin using a cloth, and gently pull it toward the head until it comes off completely. Remove the dark skin on the other side the same way. After cleaning the soles, rinse them under cold running water, then drain and pat them dry with paper towels.Now prepare two plates: put milk in one and flour in the other. Start by dipping the soles in the milk and then coating them in flour on both sides — this will help the flour adhere well to the fish and give a nice golden color to the final result. Shake them gently to remove excess flour. Meanwhile, put the butter in a wide skillet over the heat and melt it (clarified butter would be preferable, but regular butter works fine — you’ll just need to be more careful not to burn it).
Place the soles in the pan without overlapping them and brown them on both sides for about 2 minutes per side, turning them gently with a spatula — be careful not to break them as they are very delicate. Once cooked, remove them from the pan and arrange them on a serving plate, keeping them warm. Meanwhile, squeeze and strain the lemon juice and chop the parsley.
Clean the pan with a paper towel, melt the butter in it, add the lemon juice and the chopped parsley, and cook for one minute. Pour the hot sauce over the soles, garnish with fresh parsley leaves and serve immediately.Follow my Instagram profile https://www.instagram.com/atavolacontea_/?hl=it
Also check out this recipe https://blog.giallozafferano.it/atavolacontea/pesce-al-cartoccio/
Notes
If you prefer a lighter cooking method you can prepare them in the oven. In that case, to add more flavor, dust them with a mix of flour, chopped parsley and garlic. Then place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, brush each one with a tablespoon of melted butter, season with salt and pepper and bake in a preheated oven at 392°F for 15 minutes. Once cooked, remove them from the oven, plate and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley.
You can also use frozen sole — in that case thaw it before using, leaving it out of the freezer for a few hours.
You can serve the sole fillets with seasonal vegetables, grilled or boiled, with a side of potatoes, a light mashed potato, or sautéed mushrooms.
My variation on the recipe, because good blood tells, is to add a few pitted Taggiasca olives and some pine nuts during cooking and to deglaze with 1/2 glass of dry white wine at the end of cooking. This makes the sauce into a lovely, inviting cream.
