Filet of sole cooked in Julia Child’s simple recipe goes well with a lemony butter sauce for a great seafood dinner.
Fillet of sole fish refers to the boneless, skinless cut of fish that comes from the underside or thinner part of a sole fish. With its mild flavor, flaky white flesh and versatility, it has become a beloved staple in seafood kitchens around the world. But what exactly is sole fish and what makes it so special? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll uncover everything there is to know about this sublime sea creature and its prized fillets.
Sole fish belong to the flounder family and are a type of flatfish found in oceans worldwide. Common sole species include Dover sole, lemon sole, petrale sole, rex sole and more. These odd-looking fish have both eyes on one side of their flattened body and swim sideways along the seafloor.
Sole live in shallow coastal waters, burying themselves in sand or mud to camouflage and ambush prey like worms, mollusks and small fish. They can grow up to 3 feet long and have grayish-brown, olive or sandy colored skin with small rough scales.
While flatfish like halibut and flounder are also called “sole,” true sole species are distinct. Their delicate flavor and texture make them a treasure of European and American cuisine.
Meet the Fillet of Sole
The prized part of the sole fish is the fillet – the boneless, skinless portion from the underside or thinner part of the fish. Filleting a sole fish takes skill as the flesh is incredibly delicate and tender.
Sole fillets are thin, weighing just 2-4 ounces each, and have an ivory white or pale pinkish color. The velvety texture of sole fillets comes from their high moisture content and fine flake.
The small size and fragile nature of sole fillets means they cook quickly and are ideal for pan-frying, sautéing, broiling or baking Their subtle, sweet flavor and flaky texture pairs perfectly with lemon, butter, parsley and other light seasonings.
Why Chefs and Home Cooks Love Sole Fillets
There are many reasons why sole fillets have been favored by chefs from Julia Child to Thomas Keller:
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Delicate flavor – The fillets have a refined, delicate sweetness without any fishy taste This allows other flavors to shine.
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Quick cooking – Just 3-4 minutes of cooking and the fillets become opaque and flaky perfection. Overcooking makes them tough.
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Flaky texture – When cooked properly, the flesh separates into buttery soft layers that melt in your mouth.
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Versatile – The mild taste and dainty fillets work with a wide range of cuisines and cooking methods.
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Low fat – With less than 2 grams of total fat per fillet, they are a healthy seafood choice.
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Sustainable – Common sole species like lemon sole are abundant and responsibly fished.
With their sublime texture and taste, it’s easy to see why cooks around the world treasure these little fillets.
Popular Cooking Methods for Sole Fillets
There are many delicious ways to cook sole fillets while highlighting their best qualities:
Pan-Fried Sole Meunière
Dusted in flour then sautéed in hot butter, the French classic “sole meunière” lets the fillet’s sweet flavor shine alongside brown butter, lemon and parsley.
Broiled or Baked Sole
Broiling or baking sole fillets brings out their flaky texture. A dash of paprika, breadcrumbs or parsley adds flavor without overpowering.
Sole Amandine
Topped with toasted almonds and a lemon-butter sauce, this elegant French preparation makes sole the star attraction.
Sole Piccata
A fast sauté in olive oil and white wine, finished with capers, parsley and lemon, yields delicious sole piccata with bright, bold flavor.
Grilled Sole
A hot grill adds wonderful smoky notes to delicate sole. The fish can be marinated in herbs, citrus and olive oil beforehand.
Sole en Papillote
Baked in parchment paper with vegetables and aromatics, this technique steams the sole to tender perfection.
Crispy Sole Tacos
Breaded, fried sole fillets paired with zesty citrus slaw and salsa make amazing crispy fish tacos.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless with sole fillets! Their adaptability lets you get creative in the kitchen.
Picking and Preparing Sole Fillets
When buying and preparing sole fillets, follow these tips for best quality:
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Look for fillets with a bright translucent appearance, evenly colored flesh and a mild sea breeze aroma. Avoid any strong “fishy” odor.
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Sole deteriorates quickly so try to cook the fillets within a day of purchasing. Keep refrigerated.
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Check for any remaining bones and remove them with tweezers or needle nose pliers.
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Rinse fillets briefly under cold water and pat dry with paper towels before cooking.
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Season the delicate fillets lightly. A pinch of salt and pepper is often all they need.
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Use a fish spatula to gently turn the fillets during cooking. Their tissue-paper thinness tears easily.
Treat sole fillets with care and they will cook up into seafood magic.
Complementary Flavors for Sole
With its neutral palate, sole fillets welcome all sorts of lively flavor combinations:
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Butter – Rich, velvety butter sauce adds luxurious depth.
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Lemon – Bright acidity from lemon juice or zest cuts through the fattiness.
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Wine – A splash of white wine like Sauvignon Blanc lightens the flavor.
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Herbs – Dill, parsley, chives and tarragon all accent sole perfectly.
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Capers – Briny capers provide a pleasant contrast to the sweet fish.
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Almonds – Toasted almonds give a lovely crunch and nutty flavor.
Don’t be afraid to try new flavor pairings with sole fillets. Part of the joy is discovering matches that highlight their best attributes.
Health Benefits of Sole Fillets
In addition to being delicious, sole fillets deliver some excellent health perks:
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High in protein to support energy, metabolism and muscle health. A 3-ounce fillet provides 17 grams of protein.
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Low in calories with under 100 calories per serving. Great for weight management.
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Low in fat and high in heart-healthy omega-3s like DHA and EPA. Can improve cardiovascular health.
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Good source of vitamins like B-12, niacin, selenium and phosphorus.
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Contains collagen, zinc and magnesium for immune system support.
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Rich in potassium to regulate fluid balance and blood pressure.
As one of the leanest, most nutrient-dense fish, sole fillets provide quality protein and minerals without excess calories, carbs or fat. Making them a “sole-ful” part of a healthy diet.
Simple Sole Recipes to Make Tonight
Ready to cook up some sole fillets? Here are a few easy recipes to try in your own kitchen:
Lemon Sole Meunière
Dip fillets in flour, sauté in butter 2 minutes per side. Add lemon juice and parsley to the pan. Spoon sauce over fish.
Panko Baked Sole
Coat fillets in panko breadcrumbs. Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes until golden brown. Finish with fresh herbs.
Broiled Sole with Tomatoes
Broil fillets for 3-4 minutes. Top with diced tomatoes, garlic, basil and feta cheese. Broil 1 minute more.
Sole Piccata Pasta
Sauté fillets in olive oil with lemon, parsley and capers. Toss with hot cooked linguine.
With just a few ingredients, you can make gourmet sole dishes for any occasion. Your family and friends will be hooked!
Where to Buy Fresh Sole Fillets
Finding high-quality sole can be tricky. Here are some sources to try:
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Seafood markets and fishmongers for the freshest local catch. Ask when it was brought in.
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Specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods often have fresh sole behind their seafood counter.
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Online retailers that ship overnight like FultonFishMarket.com and CatalinaOffshoreProducts.com
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Local fishermen at the dock may have sole just off the boat.
Seek out sole fillets the same day you plan to cook them for absolute freshness. With proper handling, they will reveal their splendid flavor and texture.
Is Sole Sustainable?
Some sole stocks like North Sea lemon sole are well-managed through catch quotas and responsible fishing. But Pacific Dover sole is currently on the “avoid” list due to overfishing.
Why we love this recipe
Happy cooking! This is the seafood recipe I think is the best of all time. According to the story, Julia Child made it after one of her first wonderful meals in France.
It’s the perfect easy elegant dinner, and here’s how it made its way to my kitchen!
One of the things the Southern husband and I actually love doing together is the weekly food shopping. (I know. But we do!).
I plan our meals for the week ahead of time, and my Southern husband gets to choose which dinner he wants me to make each week.
He sometimes chooses an old recipe that I’ve already made (last week it was this Irish Grilled Cheese sandwich), but if he wants something new, he always goes straight to the seafood counter.
Most of the time, he focuses on scallops or red snapper, but one terrible weekend, he chose filet of sole. And I drew a blank in terms of what to do with it.
I’d never made filet of sole before, and couldn’t remember having had it at a restaurant.
But that’s what he wanted, and he had this face on…
…so I bought some and off we went.
It was delicious! When I got it home, I looked for filet of sole recipes and kept finding that Julia Child’s way of cooking it was pretty much perfect.
So I hauled out my copy of The Way To Cook and after much paging around I found her recipe for Sole Meuniere, which is otherwise known as that perfect recipe of hers for filet of sole.
Ingredients you need to make this recipe
How To – prepare Dover sole
What type of fish is a sole?
The true soles, Soleidae, including the common or Dover sole, Solea solea. These are the only fishes called soles in Europe. The American soles, Achiridae, sometimes classified among the Soleidae. The tonguefishes or tongue soles, Cynoglossidae, whose common names usually include the word ‘tongue’.
How to cook sole fish fillets?
Using the knife’s tip end and in a slanting position, saw between the two, working slowly to avoid leaving meat on the skin. Having done that, you can cook your sole fish fillets. You can cook sole in numerous ways including baking, frying, pan-broiling, grilling, and deep-frying.
Is sole a flatfish?
Sole is a fish belonging to several families. Generally speaking, they are members of the family Soleidae, but, outside Europe, the name sole is also applied to various other similar flatfish, especially other members of the sole suborder Soleoidei as well as members of the flounder family.
What is a filet of sole Francese?
Delicate and delicious tasting, Filet of Sole Francese is made with a light dredge in flour, then simmered with a brown buttery-lemon sauce to create the most succulent and moist fish ever! An elegant dinner for family and friends, and a restaurant favorite, this recipe for Filet of Sole Francese is sure to be a keeper! The Method of Cooking …