Baked Mediterranean Sole With Seasoned Rice Food

BAKED SOLE FILLET, THE MEDITERRANEAN WAY

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil and melted butter with a dash of seasoned salt. Stir in the shallots, garlic and capers.
• In a separate small bowl, mix together the seasoned salt, pepper, cumin and garlic powder. Spice fish fillets each on both sides.
• Place the fish fillets on a lightly-oiled large baking pan or dish. Cover with the buttery lime mixture you prepared earlier. Now arrange the green onion halves and lime slices on top.
• Bake in 375 degrees F-heated oven for 10-15 minutes. Do not overcook.
• Remove the fish fillets from the oven and garnish with the chopped fresh dill.
• Serve next to white rice or roasted Greek potatoes and a simple Mediterranean salad.

MEDITERRANEAN SOLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Place each fillet on a piece of heavy-duty foil or parchment (about 12 in. square). Sprinkle fillets with pepper; top with lemon slices. Drizzle with wine and 1 tablespoon oil., In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, olives, capers, lemon juice, garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon oil; spoon over fillets. Fold foil or parchment around fish, sealing tightly., Place packets on a baking sheet. Bake until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, 10-12 minutes. Open packets carefully to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with parsley.

BAKED MEDITERRANEAN SOLE WITH SEASONED RICE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut asparagus diagonally into 2-inch pieces. Remove and discard pits from olives by mashing gently with a heavy flat implement such as a mallet (being careful not to smash the pit) then digging out pit. Chop pitted olives coarsely. Mix chopped olives, asparagus pieces, crumbled feta cheese, garlic, olive oil, oregano and pepper (to taste) in a large bowl. Cook rice according to package directions, omitting any butter or oil. Stir in rice wine vinegar and allow to stand for 5 minutes. While rice is cooking, spread ½ olive mixture evenly across bottom of 13x9 inch baking dish. Season both sides of fish lightly with salt and place in a single layer on top of olive mixture. Top evenly with remaining mixture. Bake on middle rack of oven for 15 minutes or until fish is opaque, timing it to finish with the rice. Season rice evenly with cumin. Serve vegetables and fish over rice on plates, spooning any residual cooking liquid over fish.

SOLE MEUNIERE WITH RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Pilaf:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat oil in a medium ovenproof saucepan over medium. Add onion, season with kosher salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and softened, 5-8 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat; cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add bay leaf and 3 cups water; season with kosher salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cover and bake in oven until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 15-20 minutes.
• Remove rice from oven and let sit 5 minutes, then gently fluff with a fork. Top with butter; let it melt into rice, then sprinkle with fleur de sel.
• Sauce and assembly:
• Cook 1 cup unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium, stirring often, until butter foams, then browns, 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly add cream (it will foam up slightly). Return to medium heat and cook, stirring often, until cream browns (mixture will go from pale beige to a deep caramel color), 5-8 minutes. At this point, sauce will look broken and grainy, but it will come back together. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and 1/2 cup water. Cut 2 tablespoons unsalted butter into small pieces. Whisking constantly, add butter a piece at a time, incorporating completely before adding the next piece, until sauce is glossy; season with salt and pepper. Keep sauce warm while you cook the fish.
• Place flour in a shallow baking dish. Season sole with salt and pepper, then dredge both sides of fillets in flour, shaking off excess.
• Heat clarified butter in a large skillet over medium-high until smoking. Carefully add fillets and cook until underside is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Gently turn fillets and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 1 minute. Add remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and cook a minute or so until brown. Remove skillet from heat and, using a large spoon, baste fish with butter for a minute or two to finish cooking.
• Transfer sole to a platter. Spoon lemon cream sauce over; top with parsley. Serve with rice pilaf and lemon halves alongside.

MEDITERRANEAN RICE

Steps:

• Heat oil & saute onion & garlic until tender, stir in rice.
• Add boiling water until pan is 3/4 full. Bring to boil, stirring.
• Stir in stock & rapid boil for 10-12 mins or until tender, drain well.
• Return to pan adding lemon rind, parsley & pepper, toss well to combine.