Sole Meunière

Sole Meunière is a classic of French cuisine but with simplicity and grace it can also be prepared following Italian tradition. Here is the recipe for you.

Ingredients

• 4 sole (averaging about 300-400 g each)
• Flour as needed for dredging
• 100 g butter
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Chopped parsley, as needed
• Salt, as needed
• Pepper, as needed

Preparation

1. Clean the sole by removing the skin, entrails and fins. Rinse them under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Lightly salt the sole and then dredge in flour on both sides. Shake off excess flour to prevent it from burning during cooking.
3. In a large skillet, melt half the butter over medium heat. When it begins to foam, add the sole.
4. Cook the sole for about 4-5 minutes per side, until golden and crispy. During cooking you can baste the sole with the melted butter in the pan.
5. Once cooked, transfer the sole to a serving platter and keep warm.
6. In the same pan, add the remaining butter and let it melt. Add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt, cooking for one minute until the butter takes on a hazelnut color.
7. Pour the hot meunière butter over the sole, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and a grind of pepper.
8. Serve immediately.

Trivia

The term “meunière” refers to the traditional preparation that uses plenty of clarified butter, just as in the recipe previously described. It is said that the name derives from the habit of millers’ wives, the wives of millers (those who ground grain), of cooking fish caught in rivers near the mills with plenty of butter.