Sole a la Meuniere is a traditional British recipe, based on Alexis Soyer's recipe of 1849, for a classic dish of sole rubbed with onion and salt that's cooked under a grill (broiler) and finished in lemon butter before being warmed in the oven. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Sole a la Meuniere.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Alexis Soyer's 1849 volume The modern Housewife or Ménagère, a classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
263. SOLE A LA MEUNIERE.—Cut the fins off a sole, and make four incisions across it upon each side with a knife, then rub half a tablespoonful of salt and chopped onions well into it, dip in flour, and broil it over a slow fire; also have ready two ounces of fresh butter, mixed with the juice of a lemon, and a little cayenne, which rub over the sole, previously laid in a hot dish, without a napkin, turn the fish over once or twice, put it in the oven a minute, and serve very hot.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients
1 whole sole, cleaned and scaled
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 tbsp onion, finely minced
plain flour, for dusting
60g butter
juice of 1 lemon
cayenne pepper, to taste
Method:
Pre-heat your barbecue or grill (broiler). Place a small baking dish (large enough to hold the fish) in the oven to warm.
Trim off the fins from the sole then cut four deep slashes in the upper side, across both sides of the fish. Rub the salt and minced onion all over the fish then dust with flour to coat.
Place the fish either on a hot barbecue or under a hot grill (broiler). Cook for about 8 minutes per side, or until done through (the flesh should flake easily with a fork).
Beat together the butter, lemon juice and cayenne pepper until thoroughly combined. Arrange the fish in the warmed baking dish and spread over the butter mixture. Turn the fish a few times in this to coat then place in your oven for 1 minutes.
