How To Make Lemon Sole with Fennel.
Lemon sole with fennel,
When you buy fish take a good look at it; are the eyes clear, is the skin slightly slimy is the colour right? All these questions you need to ask, and don’t be afraid to smell it. Try different fish too, red snapper is wonderful, so too is bream and hake, or what about the oiler and very good for your health fish like mackerel and sardines.
I'm not so excited about the flat fish family; plaice etc. with one exception, Lemon sole which to me has a much fuller taste. The flesh is really succulant and full of flavour.
Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 10 to 30 mins
Ingredients
1 x 350g/12oz lemon sole
200g/7oz butter, cut into 1cm/½in cubes or use ghee if you have it.
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, juice only
1 bulb fennel, finely sliced, fennel tops reserved for later
1 banana shallot, finely chopped
enough new potatoes for your hungry lot.
Method
put your potatoes on to boil in seasoned water.
1. Trim the fins and tail from the sole.
2. Slash the top of the fish three times diagonally on each side.
3. Heat a large frying pan until hot, then add 50g/1¾oz of the butter.
4. When it turns brown, drop the fish into the butter and cook over a medium heat for five minutes.
5. put a little more butter on the top of the fish and sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
6. turn the fish over for just a few minutes.
7. Meanwhile, in a deep frying pan, add another 50g/1¾oz of butter, the sliced fennel and shallot.
8. gently fry and then
9. Put the lid on and cook for two minutes.
10. Place the sole on a serving dish, then lift out the fennel and shallot and place around the sole.
11. you can add a little cream into the cooked butter and stir.
Pour the sauce over the fish and decorate the potatoes and fish with the reserved fennel tops.
serve with your potatoes, fresh vegetables, or a light salad, and of course a glass of a crisp white wine.
