A whole sole, lightly floured and gently pan-fried in butter, finished with lemon and parsley. À la meunière — “miller’s style” — is one of the most elegant and restrained ways to prepare fish, where freshness, timing, and technique speak louder than adornment.
FR / EN
Sole à la meunière / Sole, Miller’s Style
Regional Style
Normandy, Channel Coast / Parisian Table
Servings
Serves Two
Ingredients
- 1 whole sole (300–400 g), skinned and trimmed
- Flour, for dusting
- Salt and white pepper
- 30 g clarified butter (or mix of butter and oil)
- 20 g fresh butter (for finishing)
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Optional: lemon wedges for garnish
Preparation Method
Rinse and pat the sole completely dry. Lightly season both sides with salt and white pepper. Dust with flour and tap off the excess.
Heat the clarified butter in a wide pan over medium heat. When hot but not smoking, gently lay in the fish. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side, spooning butter over the fish, until golden and crisped at the edges. Turn carefully using two spatulas.
Transfer the sole to a warm serving dish. Discard any overly dark butter from the pan and wipe quickly. Add the finishing butter and melt until just golden. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and parsley.
Spoon the hot butter over the fish and serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions & Garnishes
Serve with steamed potatoes, pommes vapeur, or green beans. A glass of dry white wine (Chablis, Sancerre) enhances the delicacy. Offer with extra lemon on the side.
Tips, Tricks, or Variations
Use very fresh fish and cook gently — sole is delicate and overcooking can be easily avoided. Clarified butter allows higher heat without burning, but the final spooning of butter should be fresh and golden, not bitter.
For service, the sole may be filleted at the table or plated whole. Some versions add a splash of vermouth or white wine just before deglazing.
Historical & Cultural Context
À la meunière refers to the style of a miller’s wife — dusted in flour, browned in butter. However, the dish gained fame far beyond the confines of rustic kitchens. In Normandy and Brittany, sole was long considered a noble catch, reserved for fine tables and coastal inns.
By the 19th century, sole à la meunière had become a hallmark of Parisian hotel cuisine, praised for its minimalism and balance. It is a model of restaurant cooking: nothing to mask the fish, only to heighten its texture and taste.
Later celebrated by Julia Child, it remains a masterclass in timing, touch, and temperature — and perhaps the most perfect single-fish preparation in classical French cooking.
