Cathys Sole Francaise Recipes

SOLE WITH LEMON-CAPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Using a paper towel, dry the sole fillets very well. Season the fish evenly with 1 teaspoon salt. Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. When the butter is fully melted and the bubbles have subsided, dredge both sides of 2 fillets in the flour. Shake off the excess flour and add the fish to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium high. Cook the fillets until beginning to brown around the edges on the first side, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a fish spatula, flip the fish gently and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove the fillets to a plate and continue with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter and fish.
• When all 4 fillets are cooked and out of the skillet, add the capers and garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice and stir, scraping up the bits from the bottom. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Simmer for about 2 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly. Finish the sauce by stirring in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, chili paste and oregano. Spoon the sauce over the fish, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

FILLETS OF SOLE FRANCESE AND LEMON-BASIL PASTA

Steps:

• Place a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Salt the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook it to al dente; it should still have a bite to it. Heads up: you will need to use a ladleful of the starchy cooking liquid for the sauce before you drain the pasta.
• While the pasta cooks, rinse and pat the fish dry, then season with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs with the half-and-half or milk. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. When the butter has melted and is hot, dip the fillets in the egg mixture, then transfer them to the skillet. Cook the fillets for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until deeply golden brown.
• While the fish cooks, zest the lemons. Heat the EVOO in a deep skillet over medium-low heat. Add the lemon zest and garlic to the EVOO. Sweat the garlic for 2 minutes, then add the wine and reduce for 30 seconds. Add a ladle of the starchy pasta water and the juice of 1 of the lemons and reduce for 30 seconds more. Turn off the heat.
• When the fish is done, transfer it to serving plates and add the juice of the remaining lemon to the pan. Turn the heat off. Let the lemon juice combine with the pan juices, then spoon the juices over the fish.
• Drain the pasta well and add to the garlic-lemon-wine sauce. Add the basil and toss the pasta for 1 minute to absorb the flavors. Season the pasta with salt and pepper. Serve the pasta alongside the fish garnished with cubes of plum tomato.

SOLE FRANCESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Heat olive oil and butter in non stick skillet over medium high heat.
• Dredge sole in flour.
• Mix eggs, parmesan and salt.
• Dip floured sole into egg batter and place in hot pan.
• Cook sole in batches being careful not to crowd in pan.
• Cook until nicely browned (1 1/2 minutes per side).
• Remove to oven safe platter and keep warm in oven.
• Repeat adding more oil and butter to pan as needed until all are cooked.
• When done, add lemon juice, garlic, marsala and corn starch to pan stirring until thickened.
• Place sauce over sole and cut up lemon and sprinkle over sole.

SOLE FRANCAISE

Steps:

• Dust the fish with the flour.
• Dip the fish in the egg.
• Saute in the oil until golden on each side; drain excess oil.
• Add butter, white wine, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced to half, about 5 minutes.
• Serve immediately.
• (I use MUCH more lemon in my sauce because I love lemon, so if you like it- add more!).