Tag: Sole

Soles farcies sauce parisienne

Natalie Hanson

Serves 6.

6 fillets of sole
1 package of frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
2 Tbsp of butter
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup of chopped parsley
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
1 cup of swiss cheese
Salt, pepper
1 cup of good dry white wine

Béchamel sauce

3 Tbsp of butter
3 Tbsp of flour
Stock from the cooked fish & milk/cream

  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • In a large skillet, melt the butter and gently cook the onion. Add the spinach and the parsley. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Off the heat add the cheeses, salt and pepper.
  • Roll this stuffing equally into the 6 fillets.
  • Butter the bottom of a fireproof pan and set the fillet in it. Add the wine.
  • Cover the pan with wax paper and poached in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Set the fillets in a serving dish and keep warm in the turned off oven. Reserve the juices and reduce.

Preparing the béchamel

  • In a small saucepan, melt the butter, add the flour. Cook gently for a few seconds.
  • Slowly add the juice from the sole and as much milk as necessary to have a smooth sauce.
  • Season to taste and bring to a boil.
  • Add some cream if desired.
  • Nap the sauce over the fillets and cook in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes.

Sole Bercy

Natalie Hanson

A whole sole is used for this classic Cordon Bleu recipe because the bones and head add flavors to the poaching liquid. However, small fillets can be used. This recipe serves 8.

4 lbs fillets of sole or 2 fillets per person
6 Tbsp of sweet butter (+ a bit more for buttering the wax paper)
1/2 cup of shallots
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups of mushrooms, loosely packed
1 cup of chopped fresh parsley
1-1/2 cups of dry white wine
4 Tbsp of flour
1/2 cup of heavy cream
few drops of lemon juice

  • Preheat oven 350°F.
  • Rub a gratin dish with 1 Tbsp of butter and sprinkle shallots on the bottom of the dish.
  • Cover with the mushrooms.
  • Arrange the sole fillets, rolled or folded, on top of the mushrooms (be sure the fleshy side is on the outside so that the fillets keep their shape when cooking).
  • Dot with another Tbsp of butter.
  • Add the wine and parsley (save 3 Tbsp of parsley for decoration at the end).
  • Add salt and pepper.
  • Cover the gratin dish with a buttered wax paper and place in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Lift the soles with a large spatula and place on a serving dish.
  • Melt 4 Tbsp of butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook for 1 minute on low heat.
  • Add the drippings of the sole along with the mushrooms and bring to a boil.
  • Add the cream if needed.
  • Simmer gently for a few more minutes.
  • Correct seasonings with salt and pepper and add drops of lemon juice.
  • Coat the soles with the sauce and sprinkle remaining parsley on top.
  • Serve immediately.

Filet of bass with sorrel

Natalie Hanson

Serves 6.

3 pounds of bass (or sole or salmon)
1 pound of sorrel
Some sweet butter
3 shallots, minced
1/2 cup of white vermouth
1/2 cup of fish stock
1/2 cup of cream 

  • Cut the filets (about 12 strips, 4 ounces each).
  • Wash the sorrel, remove the stems and julienne.
  • Preheat the oven to 500°F.
  • Take an ovenproof platter, butter it, sprinkle the mixed shallots at the bottom.
  • Arrange filets on top.
  • Pour the vermouth, fish stock, and add half the sorrel.
  • Cover with buttered foil.
  • Bring to a boil on top of the stove and put in the oven for 5 minutes.
  • Transfer fish to a warm platter.
  • Reserve the liquid.
  • In a saucepan, heat 1/2 teaspoon of butter and sauté the remaining sorrel.
  • Strain the reserved liquid over it.
  • Add cream and reduce until thickened.
  • Season, place strip of fish on plate and nap with sorrel sauce.
  • With addition of butter, this could become a white butter sauce.

Filet de sole bonne femme

Natalie Hanson

Serves 4.

8 filets of sole
1 carrot, 1 onion, sliced
Bouquet garni
Salt and pepper
1-1/4 cups dry white wine
1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp of butter
Lemon juice and parsley
Sauce hollandaise
2 egg yolks
4 oz. of unsalted butter (at room temperature and cut into small pieces)
2 tsp of lemon juice, salt and pepper 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Place the filets, folded in half, in a shallow fireproof dish with the carrot, onion, bouquet garni, salt and pepper.
  • Pour over the wine, cover with buttered wax paper and poach in oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Transfer the filets to a serving platter and keep warm in the turned off oven.
  • Pour the cooking liquid in a saucepan and reduce to 2 Tbsp.
  • In the meantime, place the mushrooms in a small pan with the butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  • Cook gently for 5 minutes or until tender.

For the sauce hollandaise

  • Lightly beat the yolks in a heavy saucepan.
  • Strain the reduced cooking liquid of the soles in the egg yolks.
  • Mix well.
  • Place the saucepan with the egg mixture in a larger saucepan filled with 1/2 inch of simmering water.
  • Keep the heat low and whisk the mixture continuously until a thick creamy consistency is obtained.
  • This is the double boiler method.
  • With careful attention to the heat, try to do without.
  • Beat in the butter a little at a time.
  • Do not allow the sauce to get to hot.
  • When all the butter has been added, stir in the lemon juice and season to taste.
  • Stir in the mushrooms and parsley.
  • Keep warm.

To serve

Make sure to remove additional liquid from the cooked filets.  Coat the filets in the serving dish with the hollandaise sauce. Put the filets of sole under a very hot broiler until the top is lightly browned. This must be done very quickly.  Serve immediately.

The vegetables can be kept under the fish, or they can be saved and puréed to make a soup with the addition of some fish stock and béchamel sauce.