Oven-Baked Sole Meunière

Oven-baked Sole Meunière – a French classic with butter, lemon and new potatoes.

Sole Meunière is one of the simplest and most delicious dishes French cooking has given us – and here is my version, made the easy way in the oven.
Dover sole is a wonderfully mild, delicate fish with a silky texture and a flavour that is perfect with classic accompaniments such as butter sauce, fresh lemon and small new potatoes. Rather than wrestling with an enormous frying pan to cook the whole fish on the hob, I bake it whole in the oven – head and all – which gives you a beautiful result and a method that is both easy and gentle on the fish.

The sole bakes gently, so the flesh stays moist and tender, and you avoid the hassle that comes with a fish that takes up the entire pan. Served with melted butter, fresh parsley and lemon – it really is just simple and brilliant.

Cook it on the barbecue too

This recipe is easily made on the barbecue if you fancy taking the French classic out into the summer weather. Use the same method as for the oven – but cook the fish over indirect heat at the same temperature.

Place the sole in an ovenproof dish or on a barbecue tray with butter underneath and over the fish, and close the lid – that way it bakes gently without sticking or catching.

Pan-fried Sole Meunière, or as fillets

If you prefer the classic method, you can of course cook the sole in a frying pan. The traditional meunière method involves dusting the fillets in a little flour and frying them in butter until golden – still a superb way to make the dish.

And if you are not keen on cooking the fish whole – or would rather serve it a little more “clean” – you can happily use sole fillets instead. They need only a very short time in the pan and still deliver plenty of flavour with butter sauce and lemon.

My first Sole Meunière, in Cannes

My love of Sole Meunière began on a trip to Cannes a few years ago. It was served to me whole, perfectly cooked with butter and lemon – and after the first bite, I was sold.

In fact, we ended up eating Sole Meunière several times on that trip – the flavour, the simplicity and the elegance of the dish are something quite special. It has become one of my favourite dishes – and now that I have found an easy way to make it at home in the oven, it appears on the table more often. It deserves to.

How many people does a whole sole serve?

When I cook Sole Meunière as a whole fish – head, bones and all – one good, large sole is typically right for 2 people.
Even though the fish may look big to begin with, remember that the head, backbone and any roe are included in the weight – which means the actual amount of flesh is more limited than you might think. Many of the sole you buy (especially if they are fresh and not filleted) also carry a good deal of roe, which takes up a fair amount of space in the fish.

I once served a whole fish to 3 people – and it was just on the scant side, especially when the dish is served simply with just new potatoes and butter sauce.

My best advice: Allow one whole sole per 2 people if you are serving it as a main course. That way you can be sure there is enough – and your guests will not leave the table hungry.