European salt, also called sole, is considered tasty and healthy. It is a relative of flounder, although it is often confused with pangasius, since when filleted they are similar in appearance and have similar organoleptic qualities. Solea is a fairly fatty fish, does not contain small bones, so it is very tasty when fried. Sometimes it is stewed, separately or with vegetables. This method of cooking fish is often preferred by people on a diet. Knowing how to cook sole in a frying pan, you can turn this fish into an excellent appetizer worthy of a holiday table. At the same time, cooking will require so little time and effort that any housewife can make this fish into a dish for a family dinner.
Cooking features
In our country, sole is sold frozen in the form of fillets. This greatly simplifies the process of preparing dishes from this fish, since the housewife does not have to waste time cutting it. Due to the fact that salt contains a significant amount of fat, it is difficult to dry it out, even if it is cooked in a frying pan. However, without knowing a few important points, the cook may not get exactly the result he expected.
- In order not to purchase cheaper pangasius instead of sole fillet, you need to pay attention to the color and size of the product. The pieces of sole fillet are thin, its outer side has a gray-brown tint.
- When purchasing fish, it is also important to evaluate the freshness of the product. Be sure to pay attention to the production date and expiration date of the product. It is also necessary to evaluate the appearance of the fish and packaging. If there is water or snow in the package, this indicates improper storage of the product. It was defrosted and re-frozen, and it is no longer possible to determine how many times this happened. Such a product may not only be dry and crumbly, but also unsafe for health.
- Sea sole cooks quickly, but if you didn’t take care to defrost it in advance, you won’t be able to whip up a tasty dish from it. In order for the fish to retain its shape and not be dry, it must be protected from moisture loss. To do this, it is defrosted in the refrigerator or ice water, that is, without a sharp temperature change. Trying to speed up the process using a microwave or warm water will not lead to anything good.
- For frying or stewing in a frying pan, sole fillets are usually cut into portions or even smaller pieces. To keep them even, it is better to chop the fish before it is completely defrosted. However, you can fry it only after it has completely defrosted, having previously blotted it with a napkin, otherwise there will be a lot of liquid in the pan, and the fish will not so much fry as stew.
Fried or stewed salt can be served as an independent snack, but more often it is accompanied by a side dish. It can be mashed potatoes or other vegetables, boiled rice, baked or stewed vegetables.
Sole in the oven: recipes with vegetables and cheese
In its appearance, sole is very similar to flounder, but the taste of this beauty has its own incomparable zest. You can purchase already cleaned and frozen fillets of this fish in department stores and supermarkets. And when you come home, all you have to do is put it in a deep bowl without removing it from the packaging.
Then pour cold running water over the fish and leave it like this for 30 - 40 minutes until it has completely finished defrosting. But if you are lucky and you bought fresh fish, you need to know how to clean it. First, wash the fish under running water to remove mucus and algae.
Afterwards, we place it on a cutting board and, holding the sole by the tail with our hand, we clean the fish from scales with a sharp knife. We start cleaning from the tail to the head. Then rinse the fish carcass under cold running water. Place it back on the cutting board and use the tip of a knife to make an incision around the gills.
With one deft movement of the hand, we remove the trimmed skin. Then we turn the fish over to the other side, trim the skin on the other side and also remove it from the fish carcass. Then we make a small longitudinal incision in the abdomen area and clean the fish from the insides.
Be careful with the gallbladder, make sure that it does not burst, this small ball contains an incredibly bitter liquid, which, when it comes into contact with fish meat, makes it bitter. Now carefully insert the tip of the knife behind the fish head above the dorsal bone and cut off the head.
Then, using kitchen scissors, cut off the lower, upper and side fins of the fish, as well as the caudal fin. Regardless of the fish purchased, after cleaning or defrosting, rinse the carcasses under running water, dry them with paper kitchen towels and place them on a plate.
Since childhood, we all know that fish is a very healthy and important product in human life.
Especially valuable are omega acids and phosphorus, of which there is a lot in this product and which are vital for the human body to work well . Fish comes in different varieties. Some people like sea food, others like fresh water.
Some people like fried fish, others like stewed fish. For example, I love everything, and especially if it’s fillet and you don’t need to extract bones from it.
Not long ago, my godfather treated me to a magnificent dish - sole baked in the oven. Today I will tell you how to cook sole with potatoes in the oven according to my kuma’s simple recipe with a photo. Even novice cooks can easily master this dish.
Everything seems to be clear with the dishes and equipment, all that remains is to figure out the food part of the recipe.
In order for the sole in the oven with potatoes to come out with a bang, you need to carefully consider the choice of the main ingredients:
- Fish can be bought fresh frozen in any supermarket or market. The main thing is to pay attention to the freezing date and the amount of ice in the package. If there is too much ice, the fish has already been thawed several times or stored incorrectly. Such a product cannot be considered fresh and usable; it is better not to take it at all.
- Take medium potatoes . The main thing is that the tubers do not have eyes and that they are firm, without black or green spots or rotten areas.
- Take medium tomatoes, of any variety . Good tomatoes are beautiful, elastic, not cracked. The skin is shiny, without spots, and the stalk is green and without signs of spoilage.
- Choose a medium carrot , without an abundance of black spots and soft areas. High-quality carrots are bright orange in color, firm, without excess roots and dirt.
- Also take a medium-sized onion - this way it is more likely that it will not be spoiled inside. The onion should be firm to the touch, with skin tightly attached and no green sprouts.
- Dairy products (cheese and sour cream) can only be taken where these products are stored in the refrigerator. Be sure to check the integrity of the packaging and compliance with expiration dates. It wouldn't hurt to inspect a piece of cheese for mold or dry edges.
- You can use mayonnaise of any fat content - depending on your taste. The main thing is to check the integrity of the container and shelf life. Be careful - sellers often change the shelf life on plastic containers to suit your taste. It is safest to take mayonnaise in jars, the consumption dates of which are written on the lids - these are the real dates set by the manufacturer.
When everything you need is in the kitchen, you can safely start cooking, it’s really very simple!
How to decorate a dish
Thanks to the tomato slices and golden cheese crust, the dish looks amazing without any additional decorations. But if you want to add color , sprinkle the entire baking sheet or each serving individually with fresh chopped herbs.
You can also garnish each serving with a simple sprig of parsley or basil, this will add additional appetizing to the dish.
Elementary, but very tasty! The easiest way to prepare sole
If you only have one ingredient - sole, in foil in the oven you can cook it very tasty by adding spices and lemon.
Ingredients:
- sole - 2 pieces;
- salt;
- greenery;
- lemon - half a citrus;
- pepper.
Preparation:
- Wash the fillet.
- Spread some foil (parchment) and sprinkle it with lemon juice.
- Sprinkle with chopped herbs.
- Salt the fish. Coat with pepper. Place on greens.
- Wrap the sea bass in foil. Place in the oven preheated to 200°.
- After 25 minutes, unfold the foil so that the fish is browned.
Spicy sole rolls
You can bake sole fillet in the oven in a very original way - in the form of delicious rolls. This dish looks very elegant and will decorate any holiday table.
How to bake sole with cheese?
It is enough to have a little free time and a minimum of ingredients to prepare a hearty dish - sole in the oven with cheese. The fish can be pre-marinated in lemon juice, but even without this it will turn out juicy and very tasty.
A successful combination - sole and vegetables!
You will get a complete and very healthy second course if you cook sole with vegetables in the oven. The whole process will only take a little over an hour.
How long to fry and stew sole
The cooking time for fish fillets in a frying pan depends on the temperature and size of the pieces.
- Fry the sole over medium or slightly higher than medium heat without covering the pan with a lid. Large pieces will be ready in 20 minutes, medium ones in 15 minutes. Fry small pieces of salt for 10 minutes.
- Simmer the salt fillet over low heat under the lid. Small pieces will be ready in 15 minutes, large pieces in about 20-25 minutes.
- Sometimes the fish is first fried and then stewed. When using this technology, the first stage will take 6-8 minutes and the same for the second. If you fry the fish for 4-5 minutes, then you will need to simmer it for 10-15 minutes afterwards.
Sometimes the recipe provides for a different cooking time for the sole, because it is necessary to cook not only the salt, but also other products included in the dish. In order to avoid mistakes and get the expected result, it is advisable to focus on the instructions accompanying the selected recipe.
Sole tongue in batter
Compound:
- sole fillet – 0.8 kg;
- breadcrumbs – 80 g;
- wheat flour – 80 g;
- chicken egg – 4 pcs.;
- milk – 80 ml;
- salt, pepper - to taste;
- refined vegetable oil - how much will be needed.
Cooking method:
- Thaw the sole fillet by cutting it into 2-3 cm pieces.
- Break the eggs into a bowl, add pepper and salt to them. Whisk.
- Add milk and beat eggs together. Add sifted flour, then breadcrumbs. Stir the dough with a whisk or mixer until it becomes completely homogeneous.
- Heat oil in a frying pan. Dip the pieces of fish into the batter and place them in the frying pan at a short distance from each other (in one layer).
- Fry the fish in batter on both sides, spending about 7 minutes on each side.
- Transfer the fried fish to a napkin to absorb excess oil.
- Fry the remaining fish in the same way.
Breaded
The taste of sole can be diversified by using special dough or crushed crackers for baking, which will help create a crispy crust on the surface.
Before frying the salt in batter, you need to beat chicken eggs with spices in one plate and pour flour into another. Dip each piece of fillet one by one in the egg mixture, then in flour and place in a hot frying pan with oil.
If you use croutons instead of dough, then the salted and peppered sole fillet is simply breaded and placed on a hot dish for frying.
To create a crispy layer, do not close the lid so that the crackers or batter do not soften, but you need to use a lot of vegetable fat. To make the snack less high in calories, it is recommended to place it on special paper before serving.
Frying sole is not difficult, although many people think that considerable effort must be made to prepare it. Following the baking rules and the advice of culinary professionals, you can create a real masterpiece from such an exotic dish in your own kitchen. Deliciously fried salt covered with a crispy crust will not only please your household, but will also please your guests. A beautiful dish with a spicy aroma will suit any buffet table.
Fried sole
Compound:
- sole fillet – 0.8 kg;
- butter – 100 g;
- onions – 0.2 kg;
- cheese (optional) – 50 g;
- salt, pepper - to taste;
- lemon juice – 20 ml;
- breadcrumbs - how much will be needed.
Cooking method:
- Rub the thawed sole fillet with salt and pepper, sprinkle with lemon juice, and leave to marinate for 20-30 minutes.
- Peel the onion and cut into rings or half rings.
- Melt 30-40 g of butter in a frying pan, add onion, fry until golden brown, place on plates.
- Place the remaining oil in the pan. When it melts, roll the fish fillet in breadcrumbs and place in a frying pan. Fry it over medium heat for 20 minutes. Turn the fish over every 5 minutes to prevent it from burning.
- Place the salt on the onion bed and sprinkle with grated cheese.
As a side dish for fried sole, you can serve mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, and fresh vegetable salad.
