Lemon Sole
Lemon Sole is very similar to its more famous namesake, the Dover Sole, but it is in fact a type of flounder rather than a member of the sole family. Lemon soles tend to be lighter in colour, slightly less dense, more affordable and just as tasty as the Dover sole.
Generally available from September to March, it is caught along the South Coast.
As with all fresh fish, lemon sole should look and smell fresh with clear eyes and be moist to the touch. Flat fish can be tricky to fillet – any good fishmonger will be happy to fillet your fish for you.
Lemon Sole with Brown Butter, Parsley & Capers
3tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
100g plain flour
Salt and pepper
4 lemon sole fillets, each weighing approximately 200g
125g unsalted butter
Juice of 1 large unwaxed lemon
1 small bunch of parsley, leaves finely chopped
1 tablespoon of capers
Method
Season the flour well and lightly coat the sole fillets, shaking off any excess flour.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, then shallow fry the fish for 2 minutes each side until golden brown.
Add half of the butter. Lower the heat slightly, so that the butter browns without burning, then cook the fish for another 2 minutes each side.
Add the remaining butter to the pan and cook to the nut brown stage. Add the lemon juice, chopped parsley and capers and then season to taste and serve, with the butter still foaming, accompanied by steamed potatoes.
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