Dover Sole “Veronique”

The Recipes / Fish

2 soles 800–900g each
Salted butter
Fleur de sel

Sauce base
Sole bones cut into small pieces
25g salted butter
50g chopped button mushrooms
50g chopped shallots
2 parsley stalks
50ml dry white wine
200ml light poultry stock

Verjus butter sauce
30g finely chopped shallots 100ml verjus
200ml reduced double cream 200g unsalted butter, cubed Juice of 1 lemon

Grilled baby gem
1 baby gem, trimmed and washed
10g butter
Fleur de sel

Braised baby fennel
2 baby fennel
20g sliced shallot
20g chopped carrot
5 fennel seeds
5 white peppercorns
2 sprigs thyme
Poultry stock to cover

Garnish
20 semi-dried green grapes
30g toasted crisp pine nuts
20ml reduced roast chicken juices
10ml green chive oil
12 sprigs small parsley
12 small pommes soufflés

www.clivedenhouse.co.uk

Serves 4

Dress, fillet and skin the soles, removing the thin membrane from the fillets. If your fishmonger is doing this be sure to retain the bones for the sauce.

For the sauce base sweat the bones in salted butter until the juices start to appear, then add the mushrooms and shallots and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce by half, add the stock and reduce by half, pass and reserve.

In a medium pan sweat the finely chopped shallots in a little oil until tender, add the verjus and reduce by half, then add 200ml of the sauce base and repeat the reduction by half again. Add the cream and bring to the boil, then slowly add the cubed butter, whisking to prevent splitting. When a good sauce consistency is achieved remove from the heat, correct the seasoning, and add a few drops of lemon juice to balance the acidity.

Cut the lettuce in half and vacuum pack with the butter and a pinch of salt. Cook at 85˚C for 8 minutes, then trim, drain and char with a blowtorch. Colour the fennel all over in a little oil. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer gently until just done, then remove from the heat to cool in the liquor. Slice lengthwise.

Brush the fillets with the butter and season lightly. Place the fillets head to tail, roll tightly in cling film into a tight sausage, and tie. Heat the water bath to 85˚C and cook for 3 minutes, then remove and allow to rest for a further 3 minutes before removing
the cling film.