Step by step

Method

5 steps

1. 1

   Mix ½ cup all-purpose flour with ½ teaspoon seasoned salt (or kosher salt) and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge 8 small sole fillets (about 1½–2 lb total) lightly and shake off the excess — you want a whisper of flour, not a thick breading.

2. 2

   Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add about 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; when it foams and smells nutty, cook the fillets in batches about 2 minutes per side until just opaque and the coating is golden. Transfer to a warm plate. Wipe out burned bits between batches if needed.

3. 3

   Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Cook until it turns golden brown and smells like toasted hazelnuts — pull it before it goes black and bitter.

4. 4

   Stir in ¼ cup fresh lemon juice; it will sputter. Bring to a brief boil, then add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

5. 5

   Pour the warm lemon-butter sauce over the fish. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and a simple vegetable or salad. You want delicate sole meunière–style fillets in nutty lemon butter — not soggy floury fish or a burned bitter sauce.