Petrale in the Pan

Mild, quick-cooking sole makes an easy summer meal. Start with the best quality fish you can find. Don’t hesitate to ask your fishmonger what variety he or she is selling. Petrale filets are larger and more diamond-shaped than Dover sole, have a better texture and flavor and won’t turn mushy when cooked.

Serve the fish with some asparagus or green beans and cherry tomatoes, which need little work to heighten their flavors. Just toss them with olive oil and roast them to concentrate their sugars. If you have time, add a side dish of steamed new potatoes.

Both dishes can be prepared ahead, and you can serve them as a cold supper, if you’d like.

MENU

Pan-crisped Filet of Sole With Capers, Parsley and Lemon Roasted Summer Vegetables

GAME PLAN

30 minutes before: Heat oven. Prepare caper-parsley topping.

20 minutes before: Snap asparagus and remove stems from tomatoes. Toss vegetables with oil and season.

15 minutes before: Place vegetables in oven. Heat skillet, dust fish with flour and begin cooking.

5 minutes before: Toss vegetables with herbs. Drizzle topping over fish.

SHOPPING LIST

Asparagus

Basil, thyme or tarragon

Cherry tomatoes

Italian parsley

Petrale sole

STAPLES

Butter

Capers

Flour

Garlic

Lemon

Olive oil

Red pepper flakes

Pan-Crisped Filet of Sole With Capers, Parsley and Lemon: Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes

1 1/2 pounds sole filets, such as Petrale or sand sole

1 lemon

1 tablespoon capers (if salt-packed, rinsed well and soaked in water 10 minutes)

3 tablespoons Italian parsley

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

Freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup flour

Sea salt

1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Dry the fish thoroughly and set it aside on paper towels.

Using a sharp knife or zester, remove the zest from the lemon. Chop together the zest, capers and parsley and place in a small bowl. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and a couple of grinds of pepper and set aside. Cut the lemon into wedges and set aside.

In a large heavy skillet, preferably nonstick, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the butter and garlic over medium-high heat. Lightly dust the fish with flour, brushing off any excess.

When the oil-butter mixture is sizzling hot, add the fish, but do not crowd (if necessary, cook the filets in batches). Sprinkle with salt to taste, pepper and red pepper flakes. Remove the garlic from the pan when it is golden brown. Cook the fish over medium-high heat until crisp and golden, 11/2 to 2 minutes, and turn with a spatula to brown the other side. Season with salt and pepper. Just before removing from heat, squeeze the juice of 1 lemon wedge over the fish.

Place the fish on a serving dish, drizzle the caper-parsley topping over the top and garnish with the remaining lemon wedges.

4 servings. Each serving: 324 calories; 270 mg sodium; 95 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 34 grams protein; 0.45 gram fiber.

Roasted Summer Vegetables: Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes

This works beautifully with asparagus or green beans. The tomatoes also can be used as a summery pasta sauce.

1 pound asparagus spears or green beans

1 pint small cherry tomatoes, stems removed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Generous dash red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs, such as Italian parsley, basil, thyme or tarragon

Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Snap the woody ends off the asparagus spears or ends off the green beans. Place the asparagus or beans in a shallow pan, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to coat. Spread the asparagus or beans in one layer over the pan.

In another shallow pan, toss the tomatoes with the remaining olive oil, red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the pans in the upper third of the oven and roast for 5 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven, shake them to turn the vegetables and return to the oven until the vegetables are slightly shriveled and brown in spots, another 5 minutes. Remove them from the oven. Gently toss the tomatoes with the herbs and arrange the vegetables in separate mounds on a serving dish.

Makes 4 to 6 servings. Each of 6 servings: 66 calories; 61 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 1.66 grams fiber.

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Plate and linens from Sur La Table stores.