Recipe: Sauteed Filet of Sole with Champagne Herb Sauce

SAUTEED FILET OF SOLE WITH CHAMPAGNE HERB SAUCE

"One of the most important goals when creating a new dish is achieving a balance of flavor: No seasoning, spice, or herb should overwhelm the other ingredients. In the following recipe, sauteed sole is topped with a sauce made with champagne, oyster sauce, shiitake mushrooms, fresh herbs, and pine nuts. With each bite you can distinguish the delicate flavor of the sole and a slight crispness from its browned exterior, the yeasty flavor from the champagne, low notes from the oyster sauce and mushrooms, and high notes from the herbs. All the flavors and textures harmonize."

8 pieces fresh filet of sole, about 1 1/2 pounds total
2 tablespoons dried herbes de provence
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup white flour
FOR THE CHAMPAGNE HERB SAUCE:
3 cups dry champagne
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, finely minces
1 red bell pepper
1/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup cooking oil

ADVANCE PREPARATION:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Trim the sole of any ragged edges. In a small bowl, combine the herbes de provence, salt, and pepper. Set aside the flour.

In a small saucepan, combine the champagne, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and cornstarch, and place over high heat. Bring the sauce to a boil, then continue to boil until only one cup remains. Cool and refrigerate the sauce.

Set aside the minced garlic. Cut the bell pepper into 1-inch-long slivers. Discard the mushroom stems. Overlap the caps and cut into 1/8-inch-thin slices.

Toast the pine nuts on a baking sheet in the preheated oven until golden, about 8 minutes.

The recipe to this point can be completed up to 8 hours in advance of last-minute cooking.

LAST-MINUTE COOKING:
Set aside the basil and cilantro. Place a layer of newspaper or wax paper on the counter. Add the sole and sprinkle with the dry herb mixture. Dust each filet with flour, then shake off all the excess.

Place two 12-inch saute pans on 2 burners over high heat. When the saute pans become hot, add 2 tablespoons of the cooking oil to each one. Roll the oil around the bottom of the pans, then add the sole. Saute about 1 minute until golden on underside, then carefully turn over and cook about 1 minute more. The sole is done when it just begins to flake when prodded with a fork. Transfer the sole to 4 heated dinner plates.

Return one of the saute pans to high heat. Add the remaining oil, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Saute 15 seconds, the add the champagne sauce. Bring the sauce to a rapid boil and cook until the mushrooms soften, about 20 seconds. Stir in the basil, cilantro, and pine nuts. Spoon the sauce over the filets and serve at once.

MENU IDEAS:
Easy weeknight dinner for 4: Sauteed Filet of Sole with Champagne Herb Sauce, spinach salad, hot sourdough rolls, and fresh fruit.

NOTE: It is impractical to serve this dish to more than 4 people unless you want to stand in front of the stove panfrying the fish in relays while your friends eat their portions in the dining room. For large amounts, rub the filets with a little thin soy sauce and dry sherry, then broil the sole, make the sauce separately in a small saute pan, and spoon this over the cooked fish.

Serves 4 as a main entree
Source: Fusion Food Cookbook by Hugh Carpenter