Sole Meunière (Pan-Fried Sole with Butter and Lemon)

Delicate whole sole dusted in flour, pan-fried until golden and finished with nutty brown butter, lemon and parsley.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 12 min
Total: 22 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
2 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 whole lemon soles or Dover soles (about 350g each), skinned and trimmed by your fishmonger
  • 3 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 75g unsalted butter, divided
  • Juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • Salt and white pepper to taste
  • Boiled new potatoes, to serve

Method

  1. Pat the fish very dry on kitchen paper. Dredge in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess.

  2. Heat the oil and half the butter in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook one sole at a time for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and the flesh near the bone is opaque. Keep the first one warm on a plate in a low oven while you cook the second.

  3. Wipe the pan, then melt the remaining butter over a medium heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it foams and turns hazelnut brown.

  4. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice and parsley (it will splutter) and season to taste.

  5. Spoon the brown butter over the fish and serve immediately with lemon wedges and boiled new potatoes.