Equipment
Ingredients
Lettuce Wrap
- 8 butter lettuce, whole leaves
- 2000 ml water, boiling
- 10 g salt
Fish
- 600 g dover sole fillets, skinless
- salt
- white pepper
Braising Liquid & Sauce
- 45 g unsalted butter, divided
- 30 g shallot, minced
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 150 ml fish stock
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 5 ml lemon juice
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Blanch the lettuce leaves for 30-45 seconds until pliable but still bright green. Immediately transfer to ice water to stop cooking.
Remove lettuce from ice water and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. If the central rib of the leaf is stiff, carefully shave it down flat with a knife without cutting through the leaf.
Season the sole fillets on both sides with salt and white pepper. Roll each fillet into a cylinder (paupiette style) or fold in half depending on size. Wrap each piece of fish completely in one or two lettuce leaves to form neat parcels.
In a large sauté pan, melt 15g of butter over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and sweat for 2 minutes until translucent but not browned.
Place the lettuce-wrapped sole parcels into the pan, seam-side down. Pour in the white wine and fish stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly with a lid, and poach for 8-10 minutes until the fish is firm to the touch (internal temp approx 60°C/140°F).
Gently transfer the fish parcels to a warm serving platter using a slotted spoon. Tent with foil to keep warm. Increase heat to high to boil the braising liquid until reduced by half.
Lower heat to medium. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon (nappe consistency). Remove from heat.
Whisk in the remaining 30g of cold butter and the lemon juice to give the sauce a glossy shine (monter au beurre). Season with salt to taste. Pour sauce generously over the fish parcels and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Drying the lettuce is the most critical step; excess water will dilute your reduction and prevent the sauce from becoming velvety.
- If your sole fillets are very thin, fold them in thirds rather than rolling them to ensure they cook evenly and hold their shape.
- Use a high-quality dry white wine that you would enjoy drinking; the reduction concentrates the flavor significantly.
- For an extra glossy professional finish, strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve before adding the cold butter.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Fish texture degrades rapidly; best consumed immediately.
Reheating: Gently warm in a skillet with a splash of water over low heat; sauce may separate if overheated.
