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Sole normande
Sole fillets with mussels, prawns and mushrooms in a creamy cider sauce
Sole normande was born in the fish restaurants of the Normandy coast, from Dieppe to Honfleur, where the catch, the local cream and cider met on one plate; Paris chefs later made it a grand-restaurant classic. Folded sole fillets are gently poached in cider and fish stock, then served under a silky, ivory cream sauce made from the poaching liquid and mussel juices, with mussels, pink prawns and button mushrooms around them. It is delicate and rich, best with plain boiled potatoes or rice to soak up the sauce. It uses dry cider or white wine; the notes give an alcohol-free option. Chef's tip: plaice or lemon sole fillets work perfectly well and cost far less than Dover sole.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the shellfish
For the fish
For the sauce
To serve
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (8)
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Tap any open 1 ⅛ lb live mussels on the worktop and throw away any that stay open, as well as any with cracked shells.
Step 2: Put the mussels in a large pan with 1 cup dry cider or dry white wine, cover and cook over a high heat, shaking the pan, until the shells open.
4 minStep 3: Tip into a sieve set over a bowl to save the juices. Discard any mussels that stay shut, then shell the rest.
Step 4: Heat the oven to 350°F (fan 325°F). Butter a wide ovenproof dish with half of ½ oz butter and scatter in 2 shallots.
Step 5: Season 1 ⅓ lb sole fillets (or lemon sole or plaice) with ½ tsp salt, fold each fillet in half, skinned side inside, and lay them in the dish. Pour over ¾ cup fish stock and the strained mussel juices, cover with buttered foil and bake until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.
10 minStep 6: Meanwhile, fry 7 oz button mushrooms in the rest of ½ oz butter over a medium-high heat until golden.
6 minStep 7: Lift the fillets onto a warm platter, cover loosely and keep warm. Pour the cooking liquid into a pan and boil over a high heat until reduced to about 150 ml.
8 minStep 8: Stir in ¾ cup double cream or crème fraîche and simmer for 3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Whisk 1 egg yolk in a bowl with a ladle of the hot sauce, then whisk it back into the pan over a low heat until the sauce coats a spoon. Don't let it boil after the yolk goes in: that is the usual reason it curdles.
5 minStep 9: Add the mussels, 5 ½ oz cooked peeled prawns and mushrooms and warm through for 1–2 minutes, then sharpen with 1 tbsp lemon juice.
2 minStep 10: Spoon the sauce and shellfish over the sole and scatter with 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sole normande take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of dry cider or dry white wine?
- Stock with 1 tsp white wine vinegar per 120ml (½ cup).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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