Sole Meunière

This is a classic recipe and most definitely a new favorite of mine that I had to share.  Simply made with delicately breaded fish fillets (with a light coating of flour), and then sautéed in a hot lemon, butter sauce.  Who doesn't love a hot, lemon, butter sauce?!  Especially topped with some good, salty capers.  After researching this recipe, I came to find that apparently Sole Meunière was one of Julia Child's favorite French dishes...and I get it.  This is fantastically easy to prepare and would be amazing to serve at your next dinner party.  Bon Appetite!!

4 - 6 skinless/boneless sole or other thin fish fillets (best choices are Dover sole, tray sole, flounder, whiting, and trout), 4 to 6 oz each and 3/8" thick

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup or so flour on a plate

4 TBSP (or more) clarified butter (directions at the end of the recipe)

3 TBSP minced fresh parsley

4 to 6 TBSP unsalted butter

1 tsp grated lemon zest

6 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)

1 TBSB minced fresh parsley

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Capers (optional)

Pat the fish dry. Dust the fillets lightly on each side with salt and pepper. The moment before sautéing, rapidly drop each into the flour to coat both sides and shake off the excess.

Set the frying pan over high heat and cover the pan with 1/16 inch of clarified butter. When the butter is very hot but not browning, rapidly lay in as many fillets as will fit easily, leaving a little space between each.

Sauté a minute or two on one side, turn carefully so as not to break the fillet, and sauté a minute or two on the other side.  While the second side cooks, add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to the pan. 

The fish is done when just springy rather than squashy to the touch of your finger. Immediately remove from the pan to warm plates or a platter. (Or, if you are sautéing in 2 batches, keep the first warm for the few minutes necessary in a 200 F oven.)

Sprinkle each fillet with parsley. Wipe the frying pan clean, set over high heat, and add the fresh butter, remaining lemon juice and zest; heat until bubbling and pour over the fillets – the parsley will bubble up nicely. Decorate with lemon wedges and capers.  Serve immediately.

Clarified Butter:

There is no substitute for the taste of butter in good cooking, especially when you are sautéing delicate foods like chicken breasts, or fillets of sole, or when you are making croutons. Plain butter will burn and speckle rapidly because of the milky residue it contains, but when you clarify the butter you rid it of that residue.

The simple system is to melt the butter and pour the clear yellow liquid off the residue.

**Recipe adapted from The Culinary Travel Guide.