Pan-Fried Petrale Sole with Sungold Tomatoes
Thin and delicate, petrale sole fillets are perfect for frying with a light crust. And they’re available pretty much year round in the PNW. A sauce of cherry tomatoes, white wine, and butter is the perfect balance of richness and acidity. Good bread to soak up the sauce really makes this dish shine.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the petrale sole
4 (6-ounce) petrale sole fillets (sub any white fish)
All-purpose flour
¼ cup clarified butter or ghee (see note)
For the sauce
1 pint sungold cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large shallot, peeled and finely diced
1 fresno chile, finely diced
¼ cup white wine
¼ bunch parsley, picked leaves only, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, chilled, cubed
To serve
1 lemon, zest and wedges
Good crusty bread
METHOD
Prep the fish. With your fingers, locate the line of bones running down the middle of each fillet. Use a sharp knife to remove it (don’t stress if you have to separate the fillet). If the fillets don’t fit in the pan, halve them.
Coat the fish in flour. Season both sides of the fish generously with salt. Distribute about ½ cup of ap flour across a quarter sheet tray (you can also use a 9x13 pan or a large plate). Dredge the fish on both sides so that all surfaces are lightly coated in flour.
Cook the fish. Heat the clarified butter in a wide cast iron skillet on medium-high. Once the butter melts, carefully add the fish (lay it away from you so you don’t splatter yourself with hot butter). You may have to fry in batches, depending on the size of your pan. Cook the fish until it develops a nice golden brown crust (2-3 minutes), then flip and repeat. Set aside on a plate. You may need to add a little more clarified butter if you cook a second round of fillets. Wipe out the skillet and reserve it for the sauce.
Build the sauce. Heat the olive oil on medium heat in your reserved skillet. Saute the shallot and fresno for 3-4 minutes, until soft. Season with a good pinch of salt. Add the wine and cook for another minute. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for a minute or two, just until they’re warmed through, and turn off the heat. Gently stir in the cold butter. This is referred to as “mounting with butter” and creates a smooth, emulsified sauce. Stir in the chopped parsley. Taste for salt and adjust.
Plate. Place the fish on the plate and spoon a generous amount of sauce over it. Top with lemon zest, flakey salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with good crusty bread.
Note: Clarified butter is a wonderful fat to keep on hand for high heat applications. It’s flavorful and has a high smoke point, making it great for searing steak, frying eggs, or sautéing onions. It’s a breeze to make.
FURTHER READING
