Dover Sole ( a special Cafeteria Preparation )

Dover Sole ( a special Cafeteria Preparation )

This sweet, mild but deliciously dense white fish is indeed a treat to be enjoyed on special occasions.

Ingredients

• 1 whole Dover sole, skin and roe removed* (ours weighed about 1 1 / 3 pounds)

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 / 4 cup white wine**

• 2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into small pieces

• Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Method

Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Brush both sides of the fish liberally with olive oil and lay it flat, with the eyes of the fish up, in a shallow roasting pan just large enough to hold the fish without crowding.

Drizzle with the white wine and dot all over with the butter pieces. Bake in the center of the oven 10 to 12 minutes or until just cooked through. Turn the oven to broil.

Move the fish so the broiler unit is about 4 inches from the surface of the fish and broil the fish 1 to 2 minutes or until the surface takes on color.

Remove the fish to a cutting board.

Strain the pan juices into a nonreactive small saucepan, stir in the lemon juice and keep warm over low heat while you fillet the fish.

Fillet the fish by slicing the body along the backbone (this will be along the midline of the body) from the head to the tail starting just below the head. To remove the fillet, slide the knife closely down the bones from the backbone to the side. Lift away the first fillet and repeat on the other side of the backbone (there are two fillets on each side of the fish, one on each side of the backbone). Place both fillets on a warm plate.

Turn the fish over and repeat the process to remove the two fillets on the opposite side of the body. Discard all the bones.

To serve, season the fish with salt and pepper and drizzle with lemon sauce.

Makes 2 servings.

*Notes: Have your fishmonger skin the fish and remove the roe. You can saute the roe in butter, if you wish, and serve it with a bit of lemon and chopped parsley.

**We used a pinot grigio because of its affinity for fish.