Sole Meunière with Brown Butter

A golden, crispy skin that cracks under the fork, revealing pearly white and tender flesh. The captivating smell of brown butter and a touch of lemon acidity perfectly balance the richness of the fish.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 10 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 806
• Protein: 66 g
• Carbs: 20 g
• Fat: 50 g

Ingredients

• 4 piece Common sole ( whole, gutted and prepared )
• 100 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 160 g Minimum butter sweet ( in pieces )
• 2 piece Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ( juiced )
• 2 piece Flat-leaf parsley ( finely chopped )
• 4 tbsp Sunflower oil
• 2 pinch Gray sea salt
• 2 pinch White pepper ground

Instructions

1. Preparing the soles

   Carefully pat the soles dry with a clean cloth. Season with sea salt and ground white pepper on both sides. Coat the fish in flour, then tap firmly to remove any excess: the layer should be as thin as a film.

2. Searing the fish

   In a large skillet, heat the sunflower oil with 20g of butter. When the mixture foams and gets hot, place the soles. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side without rushing them. The skin should be well browned and the flesh should start to pull away from the central bone.

3. Making the meunière butter

   Remove the soles and keep them warm. Discard the cooking fat and wipe the pan. Add the remaining butter. Heat until it sizzles, foams, and then gives off a toasted hazelnut smell. Stop the cooking by pouring in the lemon juice, which will create an instant emulsion.

4. Final plating

   Generously coat the soles with this bubbling lemon butter. Immediately sprinkle with chopped flat parsley. The butter should still be sizzling when served.

Chef's tips

• The secret is to dry the fish perfectly: moisture is the enemy of crispiness.
• Use white pepper so as not to stain the pearly flesh of the sole.
• The brown butter is ready when it stops 'singing' (crackling) and smells like hazelnut.

Storage

Eat immediately. This dish does not reheat well as it would soften the crust and overcook the fish.