Sole with Brown Butter, Beets, and Capers Recipe

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

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Updated August 29, 2018
20131203-Sole-Capers-primary.jpg
Kerry Saretsky

Recipe Details

Sole with Brown Butter, Beets, and Capers Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 medium cooked and peeled beets, finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup capers, rinsed and dried
  • 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon, plus 1 lemon cut into wedges for serving
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 whole lemon sole, scaled and gilled
  • 1/2 cup rice flour
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

  1. Combine beets, capers, and parsley in a medium bowl. Add olive oil and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Place rice flour in a shallow bowl and dredge fish on both sides.

  2. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, swirling gently until solids are pale golden brown and butter has a nutty aroma. Shake excess flour off of fish and gently add to pan. Cook, swirling the pan gently, until well-browned on first side, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the fish using two thin metal spatulas and cook on second side until browned, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer fish to a paper towel-lined plate to drain slightly, then set on warmed serving platter and set in oven while you make the sauce.

  3. Add remaining butter to skillet and cook over medium heat until nutty brown. Off heat, add remaining tablespoon lemon juice and swirl pan to emulsify. Season brown butter with salt and pepper and pour over fish on serving platter. Top with beet and caper salad and serve with lemon wedges.

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