Sole Meuniere with Lemon and Browned Butter
Makes 2 servings
How can something so unelaborate as Sole Meuniere with Lemon and Browned Butter be such a rave? A French cooking term, meuniere (translation: in the manner of a miller’s wife) means dipped in flour (hence the mill connection) and sautéed in butter with lemon juice.
Other than the fish itself, this entrée calls for just a handful of common ingredients and is cooked to perfection in minutes. This version is adapted from America’s Test Kitchen.
Salt and pepper to taste
4 sole fillets (about 1 1⁄2 to 2 ounces each)
1⁄4 cup flour 2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) butter (divided)
Fresh curly parsley, 2 to 3 large sprigs, chopped
Juice of 1⁄2 lemon Lemon wedges for serving
Salt and pepper both sides of fillets (make sure fillets are dry). Dredge fillets on both sides in the flour and set aside.
Heat oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and swirl to melt. Carefully lay fish in pan. Cook 2 minutes; carefully flip using a fish spatula and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until fish looks flaky. Remove fish to serving platter. Reduce heat to medium. Place remaining 3 tablespoons butter in pan and swirl/stir until butter turns brown. This takes only a minute or so; do not burn butter. Remove pan from heat and whisk in lemon juice.
Pour butter mixture over fish fillets; sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Note: If you double or triple the recipe, keep the first batch warm in a 200-degree oven while you cook subsequent batches.