Classic French Sole Meunière.

Although though the traditional French sole meunière sounds sophisticated, it is anything but.

I promise. This staple of the French repertoire features simple sole fillets lightly dredged in flour, pan fried and bathed in a brown butter sauce with lemon and parsley. The zesty lemon cuts through the richness of the butter, allowing the delicate flavors of the sole to shine and create a fish dish that’s zingy, moist yet somehow crisp – an ultimate dinner for the whole family.

About Sole Meunière

“Meunière” literally translates to “miller’s wife” or a “female miller”, referring to the fish being dredged in flour before being cooked. This dish has been highly popular for centuries in France, as it was said to be one of Louis XIV’s favorite dishes in the 17th century.

Across the Atlantic, the Sole Meunière was made famous much later on by American cook Julia Child, known for her cookbook “Mastering The Art Of French Cooking”. In her memoir “My Life In France“, Julia Child recounts that Sole Meunière was the first meal she had when she arrived with her husband in 1948, at Restaurant La Couronne, in Rouen. She described it as “(…) absolute perfection. It was the most exciting meal of my life.” It is said that this is the dish that turned her from simply a person that greatly enjoyed eating, to becoming a very passionate cook.

As with most famous dishes, there isn’t just one recipe for Sole Meunière. The recipe shared here is perhaps the most classic and simple version of it, and also my favorite. While some recipes call for simple melted butter and others for clarified butter, I like to rely on brown-butter (beurre noisette) for adding nutty flavors to the sauce. Some recipes – in restaurants mostly – serve the whole sole fish, while I like to cook filets for simplicity and affordability. Some like to bath the fish in milk beforehand, while I think a light flour coating is just enough to create a subtle crispness without altering the moist delicate fish flesh. Lastly, while some add capers at the end for a extra salty kick, I like good old classic curly parsley to allow the sauce and fish taste shine through.

Choosing the sole

A simple recipe like Sole Meunière relies on the quality of your ingredients – not on any special culinary skills. The quality of the sole in particular, being the star ingredient, will go a long way.

A Sole Meunière is traditionally made with a whole, bone-in Dover Sole, known as “Sole Franche” in French. But you can very often find it prepared in boneless filets nowadays, as they’re quicker to cook and less expensive. If you decide to go for a whole fish, you will have to make sure you have a pan large enough to fit the whole fish. Or you can ask the fishmonger to cut off the head, so the fish fits into a smaller pan. Again, if you go for a whole fish, you will also need to adjust the cooking time – by adding at least 1 minute extra per side.

Most recipes also call for the fish’s skin to be removed, as it tends to get soft in the butter sauce and isn’t pleasant to eat.

Ideally, choose freshly caught dover sole from the fishmonger, market, or grocery stand. If using frozen fish or fish filets (we all do it sometimes!), make sure they are very well thawed and pat them dry before cooking, to remove any excess moisture.

Making brown butter (beurre-noisette)

Known in French as “beurre-noisette”, brown butter is the base of a Sole Meunière’s signature sauce. So, let’s take a moment to discuss it…

Brown butter is melted butter, with an improved flavor brought on by gently cooking it until it reaches a golden-brown color. Used regularly in both French cooking (sauces, etc.) and baking (financiers, madeleines, etc.), brown butter gives delectable nutty flavors to any recipe. It’s important you take the time to make brown butter properly for this recipe. Do not skip this step, you won’t regret it.

For the butter, try and find a European-style one with a higher fat content than US/Canadian ones.

How to make brown-butter (beurre-noisette)

In a small saucepan, melt your butter over medium-low heat, whisking frequently. Once all melted, the butter will start to simmer and foam. This takes 3-4 minutes.
Eventually the butter will stop foaming. Keep a close eye on it and watch for golden specks to form at the bottom of the pan. Smell the butter for nutty aromas. This should take about 4-5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and pour the butter into a cold bowl to stop the cooking process. Set aside and cool to room temperature.

Be careful, as it’s easy to go from brown-butter to burnt-butter. If you think you’ve over-cooked or burned the butter, do not overthink it. Dump it and start again. Burnt butter is terrible for your health and tastes just as bad.

In summary, Sole Meunière is an excellent, classic way to prepare sole – an underrated fish if you ask me. The flavors are classic yet exciting, and the dish is light yet very satisfying. I also love a forgiving recipe. Even if you were to over-cook your fish just slightly, bathing it in the sauce afterwards means it won’t be dry.

This dish is best served immediately. It is indeed often made table side, when ordered in an upscale restaurant. Serve it with rice, small potatoes (fingerling or new potatoes) and/or a side of green vegetables, such as Green Beans Almondine or simple steamed asparagus.

Cooking notes:

Sole Meunière is meant to be served à la minute, meaning made very quickly right before serving. I do not recommend re-heating it later on, nor freezing it.

I hope you’ll love this Classic French Sole Meunière recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment.

INGREDIENTS

4 sole fillets (about 100g each)Salt, freshly ground black pepper4 tbsp (25g) all-purpose flour2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter

For the sauce:6 tbsp (84g) unsalted butter6 tbsp (90ml) freshly-squeezed lemon juice2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley (curly)

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1 – Rinse the fish gently under cold water and thoroughly pat dry with paper towel. Check the fish for small bones and pick them out with tweezers, if found.

In a large bowl or shallow plate, whisk together the flour with salt and pepper. Gently coat the fish on both sides with the flour and shake off any excess. Set aside.

Step 2 – Heat up butter in a large frying oil over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the fish, and cook for 2 minutes. Flip gently and cook for another 2 minutes. Place the fish on warm plates or a serving dish.

Step 3 – In a small saucepan, melt the butter and cook until it turns a light brown and smells nutty (see brown-butter step-by-step above). Add the lemon juice and 1/2 of the chopped parsley. Swirl the sauce around for a few seconds to warm up and spoon over fish. Sprinkle with the rest of parsley. Serve immediately.