Erics Sole Meuniere Food

EASY SOLE MEUNIERE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Have 2 heat-proof dinner plates ready
• Combine the flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large shallow plate. Pat the sole fillets dry with paper towels and sprinkle one side with salt.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium heat until it starts to brown. Dredge 2 sole fillets in the seasoned flour on both sides and place them in the hot butter. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes. Turn carefully with a metal spatula and cook for 2 minutes on the other side. While the second side cooks, add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to the pan. Carefully put the fish filets on the ovenproof plates and pour the sauce over them. Keep the cooked fillets warm in the oven while you repeat the process with the remaining 2 fillets. When they're done, add the cooked fillets to the plates in the oven. Sprinkle with the parsley, salt, and pepper and serve immediately.

ERIC'S SOLE MEUNIERE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place fish, gray-side up, on work surface. Using a paring knife, make an incision 1/2 inch from the tip of the tail fin, just deep enough to remove the gray skin. Grab the skin with one hand while holding the fish in place with your other hand, and gently pull off the skin. Be careful near the fish's eye, as it is easy to damage the flesh in this area. Using kitchen scissors, remove the side and dorsal fins. Place fish, white-side up, on work surface. Using the back of a knife, scrape the white skin to remove the scales. Rinse under cold running water, and pat dry.
• Fill a shallow dish with flour. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper, and dust with flour, shaking to remove any excess. Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add fish, white-side up. Cook until a crust has formed and fish is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes; turn fish. Transfer pan to the oven, and cook until fish is golden brown, about 4 minutes.
• Remove fish to a platter; set aside. Add butter to the pan all at once. Cook on medium-low heat until melted and foamy. When the foam becomes golden, squeeze in lemon juice, and whisk to incorporate. Add parsley and almonds, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the fish, and serve immediately.

CLASSIC SOLE MEUNIèRE

Steps:

• For fish:
• Place flour in pie dish. Rinse fish; pat with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides of fish with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Dredge fish on both sides with flour; shake off excess. Place on platter.
• Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until oil is hot and shimmers. Add butter; quickly swirl skillet to coat. When foam subsides, add fish and cook until golden on bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn fish over and cook until opaque in center and golden on bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide fish between 2 warmed plates; tent with foil. Pour off drippings from skillet; wipe with paper towels.
• For sauce:
• Place skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter; cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and lemon juice (sauce may sputter). Spoon sauce over fish. Serve with lemon wedges.

SOLE MEUNIèRE

Steps:

• Check the fish for small bones and pull any out with tweezers. In a large shallow bowl, season the flour with a little salt and black pepper. Toss the fish in the flour, coating well, and shake off any excess.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the fish and cook, skin-side down, for 2 mins. Use a fish slice or large spatula to turn, then cook the other side for 1-2 mins until golden.
• Remove the fish to a warmed plate, then season. Wipe out the pan with kitchen paper. Return the pan to the heat, then add the butter. Heat until it melts and begins to turn a light brown, then mix in the lemon juice and capers, if using. Swirl in the pan for a few secs, return fish to the pan and spoon over any juices. Serve immediately.

SOLE MEUNIERE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Place an oven-safe platter in the oven to warm.
• Spread the flour on a plate or pie dish. Heat the Clarified Butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge the fish in the flour and shake off any excess. Once the Clarified Butter is hot, add the fish to the skillet and sear, occasionally basting the fish with the butter in the skillet, until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Carefully turn the fish over and cook the other side until golden but the fish is still slightly springy to the touch, about another minute. (If the fish flakes easily, it's overcooked.) Transfer the fish to the warmed platter.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the European butter. Cook until it melts, then turns lightly browned and smells nutty. Add the capers, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice-the butter will splutter-and swirl the skillet to incorporate. Spoon the sauce over the fish, then garnish with the parsley and serve.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Continue to cook until a layer of white milk solids floats to the surface and the butter becomes foamy. Lower the heat to medium and continue to gently boil. The milk solids will sink to the bottom of the pan. Once the boiling has stopped, pour the butter through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a glass measuring cup or heatproof bowl to filter out the milk solids. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

SOLE MEUNIERE

Steps:

• How to clarify butter: Melt the butter slowly. Let it sit for a bit to separate. Skim off the foam that rises to the top, and gently pour the butter off of the milk solids, which have settled to the bottom. A stick (8 tablespoons) of butter will produce about 6 tablespoons of clarified butter.
• Arrange the fillets in a shallow dish and pour the milk over them. Let soak for at least 5 minute and up to 20 minute Set up your work area so that you can move quickly: position your serving plates or platter, the milk soaking pan, a pile of paper towels, and the seasoned flour on a plate. Have the melted butter in a small, heavy-based saucepan, and the lemon juice and parsley ready for action.
• In one or two large frying pans, heat the clarified butter over medium-high heat until very hot but not quite smoking. Lift a fillet from the milk, blot it on the paper towels, dip it into the flour, and shake off the excess. Carefully lay the fish in the hot fat. Repeat with the other fillets, but don't overcrowd the pan or you'll have trouble flipping. Adjust the temperature to keep the fat sizzling briskly but not burning. Cook the fish until golden on one side, about 2 minute With a slotted spatula, a large spoon, and great care, gently flip the fish.
• When the second side of the fish is golden brown and the flesh is tender when poked with a sharp knife in the thickest part, use the slotted spatula to remove the sole, set it on paper towels to drain briefly, and arrange on the warm platter or plates.
• When all the fillets are cooked, heat the melted whole butter carefully over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter is fragrant and the milk solids turn nutty brown; remove the pan from the heat so the butter doesn't keep cooking, but keep it hot.
• Working fast, pour 1 Tbs. of the lemon juice evenly over each fish and sprinkle on the parsley. Pour about 1-1/2 Tbs. of the hot browned butter on each fish -- if all has gone well, you'll see and hear a delicious sizzle. (If there's no sizzle, it will still taste great.) Serve immediately.

FILLET OF SOLE MEUNIèRE

Steps:

• Put the flour in a shallow dish. Season the fish with salt to taste. Dredge the fillets lightly in the flour, shaking off any excess.
• Heat 2 large nonstick sauté pans over medium heat. When the pans are hot, spray them generously with cooking spray, and add 2 fillets to each pan. Cook until the fish is golden brown and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a serving platter; tent it with foil to keep the fish warm.
• Raise the heat under the sauté pans to high. Add the spinach to one sauté pan, and wipe the other one out with a paper towel. Season the spinach with salt, and cook, stirring often, until the spinach has wilted, about 3 minutes. Spoon the spinach next to the sole on the platter.
• While the spinach is cooking, when the other pan is very hot, add the butter to it. Cook the butter, swirling the pan occasionally, until it is has browned and smells nutty, about 3 minutes.
• While the butter is browning, place the cornstarch in a small bowl, and whisk in the lemon juice and chicken broth. When the butter is ready, whisk the chicken broth mixture into the pan. Simmer the sauce, stirring constantly, until it has thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste; stir in the parsley. Pour the sauce over the fish, and serve.
• Fat: 44.8g (before), 10.7g (after)
• Calories: 640 (before), 259 (after)
• Protein: 26g
• Carbohydrates: 16g
• Cholesterol: 78mg
• Fiber: 4g
• Sodium: 512mg