Filet of Sole Bonne Femme

Delicate sole filets poached in white wine with mushrooms and finished under the broiler in a glossy velouté glaze.

Ingredients

• 8 sole or flounder filets (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/2 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup Fish Stock or water
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 egg yolks

Salt and white pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a shallow flameproof baking dish and scatter the shallots and half the mushrooms over the bottom.
2. Season the sole filets, fold each in half, and arrange over the mushrooms.
3. Pour the white wine and fish stock around the fish, cover with buttered parchment, and poach in the oven 12 to 15 minutes until the fish is just opaque.
4. Carefully pour off the cooking liquid into a saucepan and keep the fish warm; boil the liquid down to about 1 cup.
5. In another pan melt 3 tablespoons butter, stir in the flour, and cook 1 minute without coloring; whisk in the reduced cooking liquid and simmer until thickened and smooth.
6. Saute the remaining mushrooms in the last 2 tablespoons butter and add to the sauce.
7. Beat the cream with the egg yolks, whisk a little hot sauce into them, then return all to the pan and heat gently without boiling until the sauce coats a spoon; correct the seasoning.
8. Nap the sole with the sauce, slide under a hot broiler just until lightly glazed and golden, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Notes

Written in our own words after Dione Lucas’s classic sole preparations; her cookbook offered more than two dozen ways to cook sole.