Sole Meunière

This is the dish that made Julia Child fall in love with French cuisine, and it couldn’t be easier to recreate at home. With so few ingredients, each item needs to be top quality to have the flavors shine through. A classic Sole Meunière (miller’s wife, meaning to dredge something in flour first) is made with a bone-in filet, but boneless is easier to find. Use clarified butter (or ghee) to avoid the butter smoking and burning.

Serves 6

• 1⁄2 c all-purpose flour

• 6 4-ounce skinless, boneless sole or other thin fish filets, patted dry

• Kosher salt, to taste

• Freshly ground white or black pepper, to taste

• 4 T clarified butter (or ghee)

• 3 T unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature

• 3 T minced parsley

• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Heat oven to 200 degrees and place a large oven-safe plate or baking sheet inside.

Place flour on a large, shallow plate. Season both sides of fish filets with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess.

In a 12-inch nonstick or enamel-lined skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons clarified butter until bubbling. Place half of the fish filets in the pan and cook until just done, 2 to 3 minutes per side, then transfer to the plate or baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Add 2 more tablespoons clarified butter to skillet and heat until bubbling, then cook remaining filets. Wipe out the skillet.

Arrange the fish on a warm serving platter. Top with parsley. In the same skillet, heat remaining 4 tablespoons unsalted butter until bubbling and golden, 1 to 2 minutes, then pour evenly over filets. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges on the side.

Adapted from NYT Cooking