Ingredients
Dover sole
Other Names: Dil (Turkish); European sole; glóssa (Greek); lenguado (Spanish); linguado legitimo (Portuguese); morskoy yazyk (Russian); seezunge (German); shitabirame (Japanese); sogliola (Italian); sole commune (French); tong (Dutch); tunge (Danish, Norwegian). Pleuronectidae.
General Description: Dover sole (Solea solea) is truly deserving of its culinary fame. A cousin of the flounder, it is extremely well-flavored. A true Dover sole can be skinned by peeling the skin off, something that can’t be done with any
other member of their family. In spite of confusing names like lemon and gray sole, there are no true soles in American waters. These world-famous fish get their common name from the town of Dover on the English Channel, which historically supplied the greatest numbers of these fish to the main London fish market at Billingsgate. In Italy, the more delicate sole from the shallower and less salty Adriatic is preferred. Dover sole are landed by trawlers. They have
long been a mainstay of high-end French and Continental restaurants because they yield thin, firm fillets that don’t fall apart whether rolled and stuffed, sautéed meunière style, or broiled. They are best cooked on the bone and are often filleted at the table in fine restaurants.
Locale and Season: The best fishing grounds are in the North Sea and the Bay of Biscay, but Dover sole are also harvested in west Africa, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Great Britain. Sole are available fresh and
frozen year-round, but late in the year, supplies can be tight.
Characteristics: Dover sole are long and elliptical with tough, dark top skin that is usually peeled off before cooking; the lighter bottom skin may be left on. Average weight is 1 pound. The raw meat is glistening white, firm, and dense,
cooking up white with pleasing, mild, sweet flavor that is well adapted to rich sauces. Yield is 40 percent.
How to Choose: The smaller the sole, the more delicate the flavor. Choose fish of less than 1 pound that are firm and
have a sweet, briny smell. Dover sole are normally sold whole and frozen in America and are all imported.
Storage: Store whole Dover sole up to 2 days refrigerated; store fillets up to 1 day refrigerated.
Preparation:
Peel the skin off by cutting a slit at the tail end, then lifting up the edge and pulling it off the fish.
When sautéing whole, place a slice of raw potato under the thin tail end so that it cooks more evenly.
Poach, steam, grill, broil, bread and pan-fry, sauté, bake, or use for sushi.
Suggested Recipe: Sole Meunière (serves 4): Season 4 sole fillets (6 to 8 ounces each) with salt and pepper. Dust with flour and brown in butter, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Pour off any fat, add 2
tablespoons fresh butter to the pan, heat until bubbling,
then add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. Swirl to combine, then pour over the fish.
Flavor Affinities: Almond, butter, capers, chervil, crabmeat, crayfish, cream, dill, lemon, lobster, mushroom, pine nut, shallot, shrimp, spinach, tarragon, truffle, white wine.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
