Indulge in the delectable flavors of Pan-Seared Petrale Sole with Local Winter Vegetables, a culinary masterpiece that showcases the perfect harmony between fresh seafood and seasonal produce. This dish takes you on a journey of culinary delight, featuring tender and flaky petrale sole expertly seared to perfection. Complementing the delicate fish are a medley of colorful local winter vegetables, each contributing their unique flavors and textures. From earthy roasted parsnips and sweet carrots to sautéed leeks and baby bok choy, this dish is a symphony of flavors and colors. As a delightful accompaniment, a luscious brown butter sauce, infused with capers and lemon, elevates the dish to new heights. Accompanying the main recipe are two additional variations that offer exciting twists on this classic dish. For those who prefer a lighter option, the Steamed Petrale Sole with Winter Vegetables presents a healthier alternative, while the Pan-Seared Petrale Sole with Winter Vegetable Risotto offers a hearty and comforting meal. With its vibrant flavors, stunning presentation, and versatility, this recipe collection is sure to impress even the most discerning palates.
Here are our top 3 tried and tested 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.
COLD STEAMED PETRALE SOLE WITH UNCOOKED TOMATO SAUCE
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, vegetables, main course
Time 30m
Yield Serves 4 to 6
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Cut tomatoes in half along the equator. Place a strainer over a bowl and squeeze out seedpods. Rub seedpods against strainer to extract juicy pulp. Discard seeds. Place a box grater in a wide bowl, and using the large holes of the grater, grate tomatoes by rubbing the cut side against the grater, with the skin side cupped in your hand. When you feel the holes of the grater against the inside of the tomato skin, you are done. Add juice from seedpods.
- Turn on a food processor fitted with a steel blade and drop in the garlic. When it is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides with a spatula. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. Process in machine for 1-2 minutes, until sauce is frothy. With machine running, slowly add olive oil. Alternatively, purée at high speed in a blender for 1 minute, until frothy. Transfer to a bowl, taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in tarragon. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Cover and set aside at room temperature if serving in an hour or two, or refrigerate for up to a day.
- Steam the fish. Prepare the fillets by slapping them - not too hard - with the flat side of a knife, just to break down fibers so they don't curl too much when you steam them. Season with salt and pepper. You will probably have to steam the fish in batches. Brush your steamer rack with olive oil and place as many fish fillets on top as will fit in one layer. If the fish fillets are too long to lie on the rack, fold them over at the middle. Combine about 1 inch of water and a couple of basil sprigs in the bottom of your steamer and bring to a boil. Place steaming rack in pot and steam fish for 5 minutes, until opaque and fish pulls apart when you insert a fork into it. Remove from heat, transfer to a lightly oiled platter and allow to cool. Sprinkle with orange zest, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer.
- About 30 minutes before you wish to serve, whisk basil and remaining orange zest into the tomato sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove fish from refrigerator and pour on half the sauce. When ready to serve, spoon some sauce onto each place, top with the fish and more sauce, and serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 182, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 7 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 18 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 608 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams
Tips:
- Choose the freshest petrale sole you can find. Look for fish that is firm to the touch and has clear, bright eyes.
- Pat the fish dry before cooking. This will help to prevent the fish from sticking to the pan.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan. This will help to distribute the heat evenly and prevent the fish from sticking.
- Heat the pan over medium-high heat. This will help to sear the fish quickly and evenly.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. If you are cooking multiple pieces of fish, make sure to leave enough space between them so that they can cook evenly.
- Cook the fish for 3-4 minutes per side, or until it is cooked through. The fish is cooked through when it flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve the fish immediately with your favorite sides.
Conclusion:
Pan-seared petrale sole is a delicious and healthy dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is simple to prepare and can be served with a variety of sides. This recipe for pan-seared petrale sole with local winter vegetables is a great way to enjoy this delicious fish. The vegetables add a pop of flavor and color to the dish, and they are also a healthy addition to your meal.
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