Best Pan Seared Petrale Sole With Local Winter Vegetables Recipes
PAN-FRIED PETRALE SOLE RECIPE
It may be true that in the eyes of God, all soles are equal. But on the California dinner plate, petrale is king.There are other regional seafood specialties that are equally compelling in their own way and in their own time -- Dungeness crab in dead winter, wild salmon in the spring, fresh sardines, squid, sand dabs and anchovies whenever they're running.But although other fish may compare with petrale, none surpass it. Petrale sole is as good as it gets. The flesh is fine-textured and delicately nutty. There's a tinge of sweetness. And call me a wine geek, but I think there's a subtle minerality to the flavor.Now is the time to enjoy petrale. Though it is available year-round, the fish, primarily caught from Monterey north, have moved into shallower waters for spawning and are practically volunteering to be caught. They are at their most plentiful from January through March.As with any other great ingredient, there is a ladder of preparation you should follow. The first time you fix it, start on the bottom, most basic, rung to best appreciate the flavor. In the case of petrale, brush it with a little butter, broil it and serve it with lemon wedges on the side.Once you've got the taste in your mouth, you can move on to more complicated recipes. The next step I'd recommend is breading it and pan-frying it in butter. Simple as it is, this is a dish to swoon over. I served it last weekend with some tender little turnips that I'd braised with minced shallots. It was incredible with a 2001 Clos du Val Chardonnay, one of the crisper California whites.Breading food for frying is one of those things that makes some people a little nuts. If you're doing it right, it's messy, and if you're doing it wrong, it's awful. You wind up with chunks of coating floating in the fat and nothing left sticking to the fish.The first thing you need to know is that there's more to breading than bread crumbs. You need something to make the bread crumbs stick. The best glue is an egg wash -- just a whole egg and a little water beaten smooth with a fork.But it doesn't matter how much egg wash you use, the crumbs still won't stick if the surface of the filet is wet. You'll just wind up with slightly bigger clumps in the pan.To make sure the surface is good and dry, you need to dredge the fish in flour. That will absorb any surface moisture and ensure a good bond with the egg wash and bread crumbs.It's a three-step process: flour, egg wash and bread crumbs. The pros use just one hand for dipping in the flour, egg wash and bread crumbs, leaving the other free (and clean) to press the coating into place and transfer the food to the fryer. That's a bit too much like rubbing my belly and patting my head at the same time for me, so I just resign myself to having to wash my hands as soon as I'm done.The other trick is to make sure the fat is hot enough before you add the food. If it's not, the coating will soak up all the oil and wind up gloppy and unappetizing. It's easy enough to check: Just touch a corner of the breaded food to the fat. If it's hot enough, you'll hear a delicious sizzling sound. If it's not, wait 20 or 30 seconds more and try again.Frying in butter makes a difference in flavor, but if your conscience won't allow it, peanut oil or corn oil will work well too.There are dishes more complicated than this, but none that taste better. The French culinary lexicon is full of names for sole filets poached and garnished in different ways. Petrale is the best West Coast substitute for any of those.In fact, though we call petrale a sole, it is not. That is only a term of, shall we say, commercial convenience. In the early days, it was a way of selling an unfamiliar product to a transplanted audience, just as red wine from Modesto used to be called Burgundy and blue cheese from Petaluma Roquefort.True sole is a family of North Atlantic fish (Solea) that is not found on our coast. Our flatfish are members primarily of the far-flung halibut and flounder clans.So even though we now have English sole, gray sole, lemon sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole and rex sole (another really good fish, very close to the sand dab), they are all pretenders.This is a matter of more than ichthyologic interest. Perhaps the grossest example of misnaming is the so-called West Cost Dover sole.Now there is a true Dover sole and it is quite a fish -- connoisseurs consider it the king of all flatfish. But unless you're paying more than $20 a pound, that is not the fish you're buying in West Coast fish markets. West Coast Dover is Microstomus pacificus while the Atlantic is Solea solea (so good they had to name it twice!).But you've got to admit that "Dover sole" is far catchier than its other name, slime sole, even though the latter is probably closer to the truth. This sole, particularly when it is caught in deep water, has a tendency to turn to jelly when cooked.I know this from personal experience. Many years ago I was hosting a dinner party and thought I'd do a little Dover sole en papillote -- steamed with aromatic vegetables in individual handmade paper sacks to be opened at the table. When my guests cut open those painstakingly prepared bags, the fish had melted into ... well, we'll leave the description to your imagination.That would never happen with petrale. It may not be a true sole, but it sure knows how to act like one. And in California, that's what counts.
Provided by Russ Parsons
Categories MAINS, FAST, EASY, FISH & SHELLFISH
Time 30m
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Pat both sides of each filet dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. If they are very large, cut in half widthwise on the diagonal. The ideal serving size is 3 to 4 ounces per filet.
- Place about 1 cup of flour in the middle of a large dinner plate. Beat the egg with the water in a large flat-bottomed bowl. Put about 2 cups of bread crumbs in the middle of another large dinner plate.
- Working 1 filet at a time, lay the fish in the flour and dust both sides, shaking off any excess. Then dip the fish in the egg wash, coating both sides and wiping with your fingers to remove any excess. Bury the filet in the bread crumbs and press lightly so they adhere. Set the filet aside on a wire baking rack placed over a baking sheet. Repeat to bread all of the filets. (The recipe can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated on the rack over the baking sheet for up to 6 hours.)
- When ready to cook, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted and finished bubbling, dip a corner of 1 filet into it; it should immediately begin to sizzle. If it does not, remove the fish and let the butter heat a little more. This should only take 20 to 30 seconds more; do not let the butter burn.
- When the butter is hot enough, lay each filet in the skillet, being careful not to crowd the fish. Cook until the underside is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the filets; cook until you can easily slip the point of a sharp knife into the center, 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove to a platter lined with paper towels and keep warm.
- Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet over high heat. When it sizzles, whisk in the lemon juice and parsley.
- Remove the fish from the oven, salt it lightly, and put it on a serving plate. Drizzle with the lemon butter. Serve immediately.
PETRALE SOLE WITH LEMON-SHALLOT BRUSSELS SPROUTS
To prepare the brussels sprouts before cutting them, be sure to pull off the tough outer leaves. Thin slicing and simple seasonings will convert those who aren't fans of brussels sprouts. Petrale sole, a Pacific Coast fish, is prized for its delicate flavor and thick fillets.
Provided by Jill Silverman Hough
Categories Fish Sauté Thanksgiving Low Cal High Fiber Dinner Fall Healthy Brussels Sprout Shallot Lemon Juice Bon Appétit Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher
Yield Makes 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Combine flour, lemon peel, coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper in shallow bowl.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in each of 2 large skillets over medium heat. Coat fish in flour mixture and shake off excess. Add fish to skillets and cook until opaque and golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt. Cover loosely with foil and set aside.
- Wipe out 1 skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until almost translucent, about 2 minutes. Add brussels sprouts and broth. Increase heat to mediumhigh and cook, stirring occasionally, until brussels sprouts are tender and liquid is almost completely absorbed, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
- Spoon brussels sprouts onto plates. Top with fish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve.
PAN-SEARED SOLE WITH A WHITE WINE MUSTARD SAUCE AND ZUCCHINI FRITTERS AND RICE ALMANDINE WITH CRANBERRIES
Steps:
- Remove skin the sole fillets with a knife, leaving only the white flesh of the fish. Season each fillet on both sides with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan, heat just enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan, over high heat. Place the sole fillets in the pan and sear both sides until they are slightly brown and cooked through. Top each fillet with the white wine mustard sauce and diced green olives. Plate with Zucchini Fritters and Rice Almandine.
- In a medium sized saute pan, reduce the wine by 1/2 over medium-high heat. Add the mustard and the cream and stir thoroughly until the flavors have combined.
- Thoroughly clean the skin of the zucchini. With a standing grater, shred the zucchini and place in colander to drain the water. Add salt, to taste. In a medium sized bowl, combine the egg, breadcrumbs, and garlic. Add the zucchini to the bowl and toss until it is covered with the breadcrumb mixture. Form the mixture into small patties. In a large saute pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat, and add the patties to the pan. Cook the fritters until both sides are browned and crispy.
- In a small pot, bring 2 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add the rice to the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and allow the rice to simmer until all of the water is absorbed. In a small pan, saute the cranberries and almonds in butter over medium heat. Add the cranberries and the almonds to the rice before serving.
PANKO CRUSTED PETRALE SOLE WITH BASIL, GARLIC AND ORANGE
Dinner ready in 20 minutes! Enjoy crispy sole fish made with Progresso® bread crumbs.
Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Entree
Time 20m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In small bowl, mix flour, chili powder, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Line up 3 like-sized baking dishes or shallow bowls. Place flour mixture in first dish. Place beaten eggs in second dish. In third dish, place bread crumbs. To bread fish fillets, coat with flour mixture, dip into eggs, then coat with bread crumbs. Set aside on platter or baking tray.
- In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1/3 cup of the oil over high heat. Add half of the fillets; cook about 2 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Turn fish; cook other sides 1 minute. Remove from skillet to warmed serving platter; cover to keep hot. Cook remaining fillets, adding more oil if necessary.
- Add garlic and chile to hot oil in skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Add basil; cook and stir 2 minutes to crisp. Toss in orange peel.
- Arrange fillets on serving platter or individual plates; top with the basil, garlic and orange mixture.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 550, Carbohydrate 45 g, Cholesterol 210 mg, Fat 3 1/2, Fiber 2 g, Protein 29 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 2130 mg, Sugar 3 g, TransFat 0 g
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