Lemon sole is often seen as the poorer cousin to the much-vaunted dover sole, and whilst it is true that the flesh is perhaps not as dense as the dover, it's a delightful fish to prepare, cook and eat. What is more, the Cornish seas produce the very best quality, and they're readily available in fishmongers outside of the summer breeding period. I'd encourage you to buy it whole, then you're guaranteed to be able to determine the freshness and quality of the fish.
This is an easy, quick supper recipe, and is ideal for families wanting their children to eat more fresh fish.
Ingredients (for 4)
4 medium sized lemon sole
olive oil
8 ripe tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded and chopped
2 shallots, very finely diced
a few salted black olives, chopped
a handful of basil leaves
a handful of chopped parsley
juice of a lemon
splash of sherry vinegar
sea salt and black pepper
Start by pre-heating the oven to 200 C.
Take the lemon sole, trim the fish around the edges and with a sharp knife score across the fish a couple of times each side.
In a separate bowl mix the prepared tomatoes, shallots, olives and herbs with the olive oil lemon juice and a splash of sherry vinegar, season well.
Place the prepared sole in a large baking tray (or two trays, if necessary) and generously scatter and mix the tomatoes, herb and oil mix over the sole, ensuring both sides get a good coating.
Place the tray into the pre-heated oven and cook for no more than 15 minutes - check after 12, don't overcook!
Remove from the oven and rest for a couple of minutes before serving alongside vegetables or salad of choice.
Even the fussiest of children will love this recipe, it's an excellent introduction to eating fish whole as against fillets. Equally the dish presents wonderfully to adults, and is a beautiful, tasty, healthy supper dish.
Enjoy!
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