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Loading...This iconic Parisian bistro dish celebrates the delicate, sweet flavor of fresh sole, pan-fried in butter until just golden and crowned with a glossy, nut-brown butter sauce finished with lemon and parsley. The secret is the beurre noisette – whole butter cooked to a hazelnut hue – which envelops the fish in rich, toasty aroma without hiding its tender flesh.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time40 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 410 kcalCalories
- 26 gFat
- 13 gSaturated Fat
- 10 gCarbs
- 1 gFiber
- 1 gSugar
- 36 gProtein
- 420 mgSodium
- 520 mgPotassium
- 65 mgCalcium
- 1.2 mgIron
- 9 mgVitamin C
- 380 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the fish
- 4 whole Dover or lemon sole (about 1 lb / 450 g each), trimmed and skinned, or 8 skinless sole fillets (about 5 oz / 140 g each)
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
- 5 tbsp clarified butter or light olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
For the brown butter sauce
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 3 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges, for serving
Directions
- Pat the sole fillets very dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with the salt and white pepper. Lightly dredge each fillet in the flour, shake off the excess, and arrange on a tray (you want only a whisper-thin coating).
- Heat a large stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add the clarified butter plus 2 tbsp of unsalted butter. Once the foam subsides and the butter sizzles when a corner of fish touches it, the pan is ready.
- Lay 2 fillets presentation-side down in the pan without crowding. Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until the underside is a pale nut-brown, then carefully flip and cook 2-3 minutes more until just opaque at the thickest point. Transfer to a warm oven-safe plate and tent loosely with foil.
- Cook the remaining fillets the same way, adding more clarified butter between batches as needed so the butter does not burn. Keep finished fillets warm while you make the sauce.
- Wipe the skillet clean, return it to medium heat, and add the 6 tbsp unsalted butter for the sauce. Swirl continuously as it melts and foams; after 3-4 minutes the milk solids will turn deep golden and smell of toasted hazelnuts – this is beurre noisette.
- Off the heat, pour in the lemon juice (stand back as it will splatter) and stir in the chopped parsley. The sauce should be glossy, amber, and fragrant.
- Spoon the hot brown butter generously over each fillet, letting it pool on the warm plates. Finish with a lemon wedge on the side for diners to squeeze over the fish.
- Serve immediately, traditionally alongside boiled parsley potatoes and a simple green salad tossed in mustard vinaigrette.
Cook’s Notes
- Use the freshest Dover, lemon, or petrale sole you can find; branzino or Pacific halibut fillets work in a pinch but will taste richer and less sweet.
- Watch the brown butter carefully – once the milk solids smell nutty and turn the color of an old penny, pull it off the heat within seconds, or it will cross over into bitterness.
- Dredge the fish in flour very lightly; a thick floury coat will gummy up in the butter and mask the subtle flavor of the sole.
- For the most traditional bistro look, ask your fishmonger to bone and trim the sole and serve it whole on a long oval platter, sauce spooned over the top.
- Pair with a chilled glass of Sancerre or Chablis – the bright mineral notes cut the rich butter without overwhelming the delicate fish.
