Pan fried lemon Sole meunière
A beautiful delicate fish served with potatoes and a creamy leek sauce on the side. Prepare your potato dish and sauce first, followed by the cooking of the fish.
Prátaí (Spuds) Boulangère
INGREDIENTS
4 to 5 medium potatoes
One onion
Chunk of butter
Salt and pepper
Chicken or vegetable stock
METHOD
Butter an earthenware dish.
With a sharp knife slice the potatoes thinly.
Slice onions thinly.
Place onions in a pot of boiling water and blanch for one to two minutes, drain and set aside. Place a layer of potatoes and onions in your dish. Dot with little chunks of butter and season lightly. Repeat the process layering up near the top of the dish. Pour in stock to near the top.
Place in a preheated oven 170º - 180ª (160º - 170º fan oven). Bake for about 50 minutes until the potatoes are crispy and brown on top.
Creamy leek sauce (for 2 persons)
LIST OF INGREDIENTS
Half a shallot
Thumb length (not your thumb!) piece of leek
100ml of cream
1 to 2 ounces of butter
Splash of white wine
PREP
Finely chop and dice shallot.
Finely julienne (long strips) leek.
METHOD
Gently melt butter in a small pan. Add shallot and leek. Allow to sweat on a low heat. When softened turn up heat and add a nice splash of white wine. Allow it to cook off. Turn down heat a bit and add in half the butter, whisking, followed by whisking in the cream. Continue to whisk until sauce thickens. Set aside. Just before you are ready to serve add the remaining cream and gently warm through again. If you want to remove some of the onion or leek do so or strain the sauce through a sieve if you are not a fan of the bits.
Pan fried lemon Sole meunière
LIST OF INGREDIENTS
1 x good sized fillet or 2 smaller fillets of lemon Sole (skin left on one side - Ask your fishmonger to fillet and prepare)
Butter
Lemon
Flour
Salt and pepper
PREP
Fish board
Fish slice (to turn fillets on pan)
Large plate with flour seasoned with salt and pepper
Large non stick pan
METHOD
Rinse fillets under cold water. Place on fish board and gently pat dry with kitchen paper. Place the fillet onto the flour and coat on either side.
Get a large pan and splash a couple of tablespoons of sunflower oil onto it. Turn heat up moderate to high and add a small knob of butter to the pan. Once you hear the pan sizzling, shake the flour off the fish fillet and place on the pan, skin side down. Stand over it for a couple of minutes and check to see that it is browning on the skin side. Flip over and turn the heat down to a lower heat so that it continues to cook without burning the flesh. Do not leave your post! Flesh should be a nice golden brown.
After a one to two minutes (depending on the size of the fish) flip over and continue to cook on the skin side.
Note: fish takes less time to cook than you think. Do not let it dry out.
To finish, turn heat up a little. Add a couple of lumps of butter and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Lift fish onto a warm plate and garnish with lemon. Pour over the melted juices and butter from the pan. A little flat leaf parsley garnish can be added if desired.
Enjoy!