Poisson Meunière

Poisson Meunière is a classic French dish consisting of lightly pan-fried fish (traditionally sole) served with a butter and lemon sauce. The fish is first dredged in flour and then sautéed in a mixture of butter and oil until it turns golden brown. The resulting dish is delicate and flavorful, with the tangy acidity of the lemon perfectly complementing the rich buttery taste of the fish.

This dish has a long and storied history in French cuisine, dating back to the 19th century. It is often considered a quintessential example of the art of French cooking, with its simple yet elegant preparation and focus on high-quality ingredients. Today, Sole Meunière remains a beloved dish in French restaurants around the world and is a testament to the enduring appeal of traditional French cuisine.

This recipe is part of my Seven Fishes tapas.

SeafoodFrenchSeven Fishes

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Total Time: 20 min

Yield: 2 servings

Sole Meunière on a bed of chopped salad.

Ingredients

Fish Filets

  • 2 sole (or haddock) filets - ½ lb total
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • Coarse Kosher salt
  • Coarse ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. light cooking oil
  • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Beurre Noisette

  • 2 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 Tbsp capers, drained
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

Setup

  1. 1.
    Heat saute pan over medium-high heat.

Prep

  1. 2.
    Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the filets.
  2. 3.
    Dredge each filet in flour and shake off any excess flour.

Sauté

  1. 4.
    Heat oil in the pan and add butter until it is melted and stops foaming.
  2. 5.
    Saute filets until brown (3-5 minutes), then flip and brown the other side (3-4 min)
  3. 6.
    Transfer filets to the serving plate.

Sauce

  1. 7.
    Sprinkle filets with fresh chopped parsley.
  2. 8.
    In a light-colored sauce pan, melt 2 Tbsp of butter, stirring until brown.
  3. 9.
    Remove browned butter from the heat and toss in lemon and capers.
  4. 10.
    Pour beurre noisette over filets to sizzle the parsley.