Lemon Butter Sole

Dover sole is a wonderful fish for those of you "on the fence" fish people or children who are not super crazy about a strong fishy fish. It has a light flavor, like tilapia or trout, but I think even more mild. It is also a very thin filet, which means very minimal defrosting time for those of you, like me, who often have to throw together a last minute meal.

Ingredients:

3-4 thin Dover sole filets, rinsed

3 tbsp ghee, I use this one

2 tbsp real olive oil, try this

1 tbsp dried (or fresh) lemon zest, divided (read here about lemon zest)

1 tbsp dried parsley, divided

Enough garlic powder for a light sprinkling on each side of the filet, I used this one

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

How To:

1. In a large skillet, melt ghee with olive oil over medium heat. Add fish filets and season with half the zest, parsley, garlic powder, and salt and pepper.

Large (long) filets were cut in half to fit in my skillet

2. Saute until the filets start to become a little opaque around the edges (this will only take a couple of minutes). Then gently flip, season the other side with the remaining lemon zest, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for another two to three minutes until fish is completely opaque.

Resting on paper towels, not a necessary step. Notice, in this batch, I

overcooked the fish a bit (it still tastes good!)

3. Transfer to a serving dish or individual plates and enjoy!

Comments:

This is one of our favorite ways to eat fish and is kid-approved (the 8-year old loves it when I make this). We like to buy several pounds of sole when it's available and then freeze it in "meal-sized" portions of 3-4 filets for the three of us. On the day you plan to cook the fish, transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator in the morning before work, or the night before even. It will be thawed by dinner (unless you are making a lot), but if you have any remaining frozen areas, simply run under cool water. This entire recipe takes about 15 minutes to make and serves three to four. Wow!

Also, the olive oil is pretty optional. I know a lot of people don't like to cook with it because of its low smoke point (the point at which the oil is close to burning and begins to break down causing flavor and nutrition degradation). However, I think keeping the temperature at medium heat reduces this risk and I personally enjoy the additional flavor of it in this recipe. But, I've never actually taken the temperature of the oil while cooking the fish, so I can't say for sure. If you decide you'd rather eliminate the olive oil to "play it safe", just use a little more ghee.  Check out this article by the Healthy Home Economist, where she states that "light sautes using olive oil at temperatures no higher than 200-250F seem to be safe and minimally damaging" and I think this recipe falls in that category.

I have also read in other places that combining the olive oil with a fat with a higher smoke point (such as ghee - 485F) will increase the smoke point of the olive oil, but then I have read elsewhere that this is not actually the case and that the other oil/ fat will only act as a dilutent and solvent. You'll have to make the right decision for yourself. It's a confusing issue!

Bottom line, I think this recipe is fine, but if you are concerned, simply skip the olive oil and use more ghee.

This recipe was shared on Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, Thank Your Body Thursday, Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm, Foodie Friday at Simple Living and Eating, and Fight Back Friday. Please follow the links for lots of additional recipe ideas.

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