Sole Meunière with Golden Potatoes & Fennel

Delicate Dover sole with nutty lemon-browned butter, golden Yukon Gold potatoes, and caramelized fennel brings elegant French-bistro flavor to an autumn dinner.

  • Total time: 50 min
  • Servings: 2 servings
  • Estimated total cost: $9
  • Calories per serving: 650 cal
  • Oven
  • Stovetop

Ingredients

  • Dover sole fillets, skinless and boneless
    12 oz
  • Yukon Gold Potatoes
    1 lb $1.49
  • Organic Fennel
    1 bulb, yielding about 10 oz trimmed, plus any fronds $5.99
  • Organic Lemon
    1 $2.00
  • Unsalted butter
    4 tablespoons
  • Olive oil
    2 tablespoons
  • All-purpose flour
    1/4 cup
  • Diamond Crystal Salt flakes
    4 1/8 teaspoons
  • Black pepper
    1/2 teaspoon
  • Sonoma-Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
    1 bottle $22.99

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and set a rack in the middle.

  2. Scrub 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes and cut into 3/4-inch pieces. Trim 1 bulb organic fennel to yield about 10 oz, reserve any fronds, and cut the bulb into 1/2-inch wedges, leaving a little core attached to hold them together.

  3. Arrange the potatoes and fennel on separate halves of a large rimmed baking sheet. Season with:

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided evenly between the vegetables
    • 1 5/8 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Salt flakes for the potatoes
    • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Salt flakes for the fennel
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided evenly between the vegetables

    Toss each vegetable to coat and spread in a single layer. Roast for 30–35 minutes, turning after 20 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and tender and the fennel is caramelized. Remove either vegetable early if it finishes first.

  4. While the vegetables roast, squeeze 2 tablespoons juice from 1 organic lemon and cut the unsqueezed portion into serving wedges. Finely chop the reserved fennel fronds.

  5. About 10 minutes before the vegetables finish, pat 12 oz Dover sole fillets dry. Season both sides with 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Salt flakes and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Spread 1/4 cup all-purpose flour on a plate, lightly coat the fillets, and shake off excess flour.

  6. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the sole flat in the pan without overlapping; cook in two batches if necessary. Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, then carefully turn and cook for 1–2 minutes more, until the thickest part reaches 140°F. Transfer to warm plates.

  7. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 3 tablespoons unsalted butter to the skillet. Swirl for 1–2 minutes until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the prepared lemon juice.

  8. Divide the roasted potatoes and fennel between the two plates alongside the sole. Spoon the lemon-browned butter over the fish, scatter with the chopped fennel fronds, and serve immediately with the lemon wedges.

Drink pairing: A lightly oaked Chardonnay complements the browned butter, delicate sole, and sweet roasted fennel.

Wine picks:

  • Sonoma-Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay $22.99 1 bottle
  • Louis Jadot Chardonnay Mâcon-Villages French White Wine $16.99 1 bottle

Why it works: Dover sole’s delicate texture and lemon-browned butter call for Chardonnay with freshness and restrained oak; roasted fennel and potatoes welcome a little creamy richness. Sonoma-Cutrer offers polished citrus and balanced oak, while Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages brings a brighter, more mineral French counterpoint.