Active Time

　　15 minutes

　　Total Time

　　15 minutes

　　Sole meunière is a classic fish preparation, perhaps best known as the dish that ignited Julia Child’s love affair with French cuisine. Like many of France’s trademark dishes, sole meunière (meaning “in the style of the miller’s wife”) is an exercise in simplicity: Dredge sole fillets in flour (the mill connection), sear them in butter, and finish them with a nutty brown butter pan sauce. But don’t let the pared-down ingredient list and straightforward technique fool you: This buttery, lemony fish dish is certainly a dinner to remember.

　　While this elegant preparation will work for most types of white fish—like tilapia, cod, or snapper—sole is the most classic choice. Seek out wild Pacific sole for this recipe, rather than Atlantic sole, which is overfished. Thin cuts of sole require only about 3 minutes to cook; if you swap in a thicker fillet of white fish, it might need a slightly longer cook time.

　　Since the butter flavor is so prominent in this sole meunière recipe, go ahead and dip into that block of European butter you save for special occasions. Remember you’re going for browned not burnt butter—the milk solids in the butter will continue to cook off the heat, and they can turn dark quickly. Follow these brown butter tips and you’ll be just fine. Parsley and fresh lemon juice brighten the quick pan sauce; spooned over the seared sole, it’s a romantic dinner for two. Now all you need is the perfect Parisian dessert.

　　

Ingredients

2 servings

　　½ cup all-purpose flour

　　4 3–4-oz. sole fillets, patted dry

　　Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

　　6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

　　2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

　　2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley

　　1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

　　Lemon wedges (for serving)

　　

Step 1

Place ½ cup all-purpose flour in a baking dish. Season four 3–4-oz. sole fillets, patted dry, on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Working one at a time, dredge fillets in flour, shaking off excess, then transfer to a baking sheet.

　　

Step 2

Heat 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter and 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Working in batches if needed, cook fish until golden underneath, about 2 minutes. Using a fish spatula, gently turn fish over and cook until golden on other side and just opaque throughout, about 1 minute. Divide fish between 2 warmed plates; tent with foil. Wipe out skillet.

　　

Step 3

Cook remaining 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter in same skillet over medium-high, swirling pan occasionally, until butter turns golden and begins to smell nutty, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in 2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley and 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (be careful, butter may spatter).

　　

Step 4

Spoon sauce over fish. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

　　Editor’s note: This recipe first appeared on Epicurious in April 2010. Head this way for more fish recipes →