Lemon sole fish is actually a flounder, and it doesn't taste like lemon. However, it does pair well with lemon, as in the fruit, and some haricot vert, which are longer and thinner, and have a robust taste that go well with the mains.
The cut I got from the deli was very thin and delicate, so I put a bed of potato slices below to help absorb the heat and allow each sole fillet to keep its shape. Some more greens would be nice. Kale and other leaves would be too flimsy and would possibly crumble from the oven heat. There was a lone zucchini whose slightly floral notes and squash-like insides could complement the mild flakiness of the fish.
Pieced together, the dish had shades of citrus, spring buds and verdant greens, an edible dream of summer.
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
6 lemon sole fillets (or any flat white fish)
1 large potato, thinly sliced
1 pack haricot vert or green beans
1 piece zucchini, cubed or cut in medium pieces
1 lemon, sliced in half, for juice, zest and slices
1/2 cup olive oil
3-4 shallots or spring onions, diced
1 teaspoon ground pepper, white or black
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 cloves garlic
1. Pre-heat oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes. Oil a baking pan or aluminium-covered baking sheet, and place potato slices at the bottom. Sprinkle some salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine shallots, ground pepper, salt, cumin, garlic, olive oil and juice from half of lemon. Set aside.
2. Put baking pan inside oven and bake potatoes for 15 minutes.
3. Carefully remove baking pan from oven and place zucchini, haricots and fish fillet on top of the potatoes. Drizzle with the lemon/olive oil mixture. Top with lemon zest and slices from the other half of lemon. Put back inside oven and heat for an additional 15 minutes.