Sole Meuniere (French Pan-Fried Sole in Brown Butter)

About This Recipe

Sole meuniere is one of French cuisine's most elegant simple dishes -- sole fillets lightly dredged in flour, pan-fried in butter until just golden, then finished tableside or in the kitchen with a fresh nutty brown butter sauce brightened by lemon juice and parsley. The name 'meuniere' means 'miller's wife style,' referring to the light flour dusting, a technique applied to delicate white fish across French cuisine. The technique that defines the dish is controlled, gentle heat and precise timing: the fish should be patted completely dry before dredging in flour, then fried in foaming (not smoking) butter just until golden on each side, since sole is thin and cooks through in only a few minutes per side. The pan is then wiped and fresh butter added, cooked until it turns a nutty brown (beurre noisette) and immediately finished with lemon juice and parsley, poured over the fish right before serving so the sauce stays fresh and doesn't overcook. Served simply with the brown butter sauce spooned over and perhaps a side of boiled potatoes, sole meuniere is considered a benchmark dish of classical French cooking -- famously the dish that made Julia Child fall in love with French cuisine on her first meal in France.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 2sole fillets(about 200g each)
• 0.5 cupall-purpose flour
• 0.5 tspsalt
• 0.25 tspwhite pepper
• 4 tbspbutter(for frying)
• 4 tbspbutter(for the sauce)
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 2 tbspfresh parsley(chopped)
• 1lemon(cut into wedges, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep the fish

   Pat sole fillets completely dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and white pepper.

2. 2

   Dredge

   Dredge each fillet lightly in flour, shaking off excess.

3. 3

   Fry

   Melt 4 tbsp butter in a wide pan over medium heat until foaming. Fry fillets 2-3 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through. Transfer to warm plates.

4. 4

   Make the brown butter

   Wipe out the pan. Add remaining butter and cook over medium heat, swirling, until it turns golden-brown and smells nutty, about 2-3 minutes.

5. 5

   Finish the sauce

   Remove from heat and immediately whisk in lemon juice and parsley.

6. 6

   Serve

   Pour the brown butter sauce over the fish immediately and serve with lemon wedges.

Variations

• •

  Use flounder or another delicate flat white fish if sole isn't available.

• •

  Add a few capers to the brown butter sauce for a briny contrast, a common variation.

• •

  Serve with steamed green beans or boiled new potatoes for a classic, simple accompaniment.

Storage

Best eaten immediately -- both the fish and the brown butter sauce lose their quality quickly once cooled and don't reheat well.

Frequently Asked Questions