Lemon sole has a delicate and delicious flavour. This recipe balances the sole with Mediterranean hints from wonderful salty capers and marjoram, while the addition of shrimps and leeks makes for a satisfying and sumptuous meal.
Ingredients:
2 leeks, sliced into 1-cm rounds
100 g/7 tablespoons butter, diced, plus extra for frying
a small bunch of fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 whole lemon sole (each about 600 g/ 21 oz.), filleted
200 g/½ cup brown shrimps
100 g/½ cup capers
Method:
Preheat the oven to 140° C (275° F) Gas 1. Spread the sliced leeks on a baking sheet and cover with the diced butter, marjoram sprigs and mustard, and season with a pinch of salt. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 11/2 hours.
Heat a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat, until just foaming. Lightly sprinkle salt on the lemon sole fillets, then carefully place them skin-side down ·n the pan (place them in the pan away from you so that the oil doesn't splash and burn you). Apply a little pressure initially using the flat blade of a fish slice to stop them curling up. Once all the fillets are in the pan, turn the heat down and continue cooking until the meat has become two-thirds opaque. Add the shrimps and capers and cover. Continue to cook for another minute until the fillets are cooked through - they should be crisp on the skin-side and just cooked through on top.
To serve, place a generous portion of the baked leeks on a plate, place the fillets on top and dress with the shrimps and caper and some of the sauce from the pan.
Tip: Store the fish bones left over from the whole lemon sole in a sealable bag in the freezer and use them for making stock at another time.
This recipe is from Fish by Mat Follas. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.