Julia Childs Sole Meuniere Recipes

JULIA CHILD'S FILET OF SOLE

Steps:

• Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Put the flour on a plate or a pie pan and press each filet lightly into the flour on both sides.
• Put 4 tablespoons of the butter into a large skillet over medium high heat. When the butter is melted and foamy, add the filets and cook for 2 minutes.
• Using a fish spatula or other large spatula, carefully turn the filets over. Don't use tongs - sole filets are delicate and need to be turned with a spatula. Cook for another 2 minutes and place each one on a serving plate. Cover with foil to keep warm while you make the sauce.
• Add the rest of the butter to the skillet, along with the lemon juice and half the parsley. Whisk until the butter is melted.
• Drizzle the sauce generously over the filets, sprinkle on the capers and the rest of the parsley, add the lemon slices as a pretty garnish and serve!

FILLETS OF SOLE MEUNIèRE

Steps:

• Dry the fish, remove any bones, score, trim and flatten it. Lay it out on a sheet of wax paper.
• Dust the fillets lightly on each side with salt and pepper. The moment before sautéing, rapidly drip each into the flour to coat both sides, and shake off the excess.
• Set a heavy non-stick frying pan over a high heat and film with 1/16 inch of the clarified butter. When the butter is very hot but not browning, rapidly lay in as many fillets as will fit easily, leaving a little space between each.
• Sauté a minute or two on one side, turn carefully so as not to break the fillet, and sauté a minute or two on the other side.
• The fish is done when just springy rather than squashy to the touch of your finger.
• Immediately remove from pan to warm plates or a platter.
• Sprinkle each fillet with parsley.
• Wipe the frying pan clean, set over high heat, and add the fresh butter; heat until bubbling and pour over the fillets - the parsley will bubble up nicely.
• Decorate with lemon wedges and serve at once.

SOLE MEUNIèRE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200 degrees and place a large oven-safe plate or baking sheet inside.
• Place flour on a large, shallow plate. Season both sides of fish fillets with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess.
• In a 12-inch nonstick or enamel-lined skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons clarified butter until bubbling. Place half of the fish fillets in the pan and cook until just done, 2 to 3 minutes per side, then transfer to the plate or baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Add 2 more tablespoons clarified butter to skillet and heat until bubbling, then cook remaining fillets. Wipe out the skillet.
• Arrange the fish on a warm serving platter. Top with parsley. In reserved skillet, heat remaining 4 tablespoons unsalted butter until bubbling and golden, 1 to 2 minutes, then pour evenly over fillets. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges on the side.

SOLE MEUNIERE

Steps:

• Sole: Heat a saute pan over medium-high. Season both sides of fish with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge each fish in flour, turning and pressing lightly to coat. Shake off excess and place on a platter.
• Swirl half of oil and butter in pan and, when foam subsides, place 1 fish in pan, white skin-side down. Saute until browned on first side, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn fish over carefully and saute until other side is crisp and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a serving plate.
• Repeat with remaining oil and butter to saute remaining fish, then transfer it to another plate.
• Beurre noisette: Sprinkle half of parsley on each fish. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over high, swirling to melt. Cook until starting to brown, then remove from heat, and, as butter darkens to a hazelnut color, toss in capers and lemon juice; swirl to combine. Pour beurre noisette over fish and serve.

SOLE MEUNIèRE

Steps:

• Prepare the decorative lemon slices as illustrated in the photos above. Season both sides of the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a plate and lightly coat each side of the fish with the flour; shake off any excess. Over high heat, place enough of the clarified butter in a fry pan to form a thin film about 1/16 inch thick. Heat the butter until it becomes very hot, but not turning brown. Reduce the heat slightly and then fry each fish fillet in the butter for about 2 minutes each side; cook only as many fish at one time that will easily fit into the pan. The fish should feel 'springy' to the touch when finished rather than 'squashy.' Remove the fish from the pan and keep warm while the remaining fish are cooking.
• After all fish have been cooked, wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. Over high heat, add the 4- 6 tbsp unsalted butter (not clarified) and heat until it bubbles and starts to turn a nut brown color. Be careful the butter does not burn and turn black. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the juice from ½ lemon. Pour the sauce over the fish fillets, sprinkle with the diced parsley and then arrange the lemon slices decoratively around the plate.

JULIA CHILD'S SOLE MEUNIèRE RECIPE

Steps:

• Layout and pat dry the fillets. Season with salt and pepper.
• Dredge in a light coating of flour, brushing off excess with your fingers.
• In a skillet on medium-high heat, pour in clarified butter and heat until just before browning.
• Place filets in the pan, without overcrowding, about 3 to 4 a skillet. Brown on one side about 1 to 2 minutes, and carefully flip over to brown the other side.
• Remove fish to platter, and if using, add capers to butter and heat for a minute. Pour capers and butter over fish.
• Garnish with lemon and fresh parsley. Serve.

JULIA CHILD'S SOLE MEUNIéRE

Steps:

• Lay out and pat dry the fillets. Season with salt and pepper.
• Dredge in a light coating of flour, removing excess.
• In a skillet on medium-high heat, pour clarified butter in and allow to heat just before browning.
• Place fillets in, not overcrowding the pan. About 3-4 in a large skillet. Brown on one side for about 1-2 minutes and flip over to brown other carefully
• Remove fish to a platter. Add additional butter for pan sauce, if necessary. Stir in capers, if using. Pour capers and butter pan sauce over the fish fillets.
• Garnish with lemon and fresh parsley.

FISH IN BUTTER SAUCE (FISH MEUNIèRE)

Steps:

• Pat fillets dry. Dust with flour, and shake off any excess. Sprinkle them on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Prepare a heavy pan with the olive oil and 1 TB butter. Heat on medium-high until butter is melted but not browned, then turn the heat down to medium.
• Place the fillets in the pan and cook 2-4 minutes. Don't touch the fillets until they're ready to flip.Note: Thin fillets like flounder will need to cook approx. 2 minutes per side, Dover sole 2-3 min per side, cod + halibut 4 min per side.
• Use a thin metal spatula to test the fish. If you can slide the spatula under the fish without the fish sticking to the pan, it's ready to flip. If the fillets won't release- give them another 30 seconds. They'll release when they've finished cooking.
• Cook fish another 2-4 minutes until done.(See note above for cook time.)
• Divide the 1 TB butter over both fillets. Transfer the fish to plates, leaving the excess butter in the pan. Cover fish to keep warm, or set fish in a 200ºF oven.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add the wine to the pan, and allow it to reduce for about a minute. Add the remaining butter and lemon juice and stir with a wooden spoon. Add half the herbs and stir again.
• Optionally, cut remaining lemon in half. Turn heat to high, and set lemon cut-side down on the hot pan. Char 2-3 minutes until the cut side is charred.
• Serve fish hot with pan sauce, remaining herbs, and optional capers and lemons.

SOLE MEUNIERE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Place an oven-safe platter in the oven to warm.
• Spread the flour on a plate or pie dish. Heat the Clarified Butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge the fish in the flour and shake off any excess. Once the Clarified Butter is hot, add the fish to the skillet and sear, occasionally basting the fish with the butter in the skillet, until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Carefully turn the fish over and cook the other side until golden but the fish is still slightly springy to the touch, about another minute. (If the fish flakes easily, it's overcooked.) Transfer the fish to the warmed platter.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the European butter. Cook until it melts, then turns lightly browned and smells nutty. Add the capers, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice-the butter will splutter-and swirl the skillet to incorporate. Spoon the sauce over the fish, then garnish with the parsley and serve.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Continue to cook until a layer of white milk solids floats to the surface and the butter becomes foamy. Lower the heat to medium and continue to gently boil. The milk solids will sink to the bottom of the pan. Once the boiling has stopped, pour the butter through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a glass measuring cup or heatproof bowl to filter out the milk solids. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

JULIA CHILD'S SOLE MEUNIERE

Steps:

• Use paper towels to pat the sole fillets dry very well and season both sides with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge fillets in flour, shaking off any excess
• Bring a wide skillet to medium heat and add clarified butter.
• Place fillets in, not overcrowding the pan, about 2 fillets per skillet and brown on the first side, for about 1-2 minutes. Flip over and cook on the the side for 1-2 minutes or until fish is lightly golden brown.
• Remove fish to a platter and in the same skillet, melt butter and add capers and lemon juice. Use a spatula to scrape any bits from the bottom and reduce heat. Stir in chopped parsley.
• Spoon lemon caper sauce over fish and serve immediately.