SOLE FLORENTINE

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
1 teaspoon sugar
Two 10-ounce boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed of excess moisture
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 pounds lemon or gray sole fillets
1 lemon, 1/2 juiced and 1/2 cut into
4 wedges
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Preheat broiler. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until just starting to brown. Sprinkle the flour over the shallot and butter and whisk until smooth. Reduce heat to medium.

Add the half-and-half slowly, whisking into a smooth sauce. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened, whisking as needed. Add the sugar and stir, then add the spinach, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until hot. Reduce heat to low, so the spinach stays warm. Place the fillets on a broiler pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Pour the lemon juice over the fillets, then sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly on top. Dot with the remaining butter. Broil 5 to 6 minutes or until the fillets are opaque and the bread crumbs golden. Spoon some creamed spinach onto each of 4 plates, then place a fillet on top. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Makes 4 servings.

Batter-Fried Fish

Prep: 15 min; Cook: 15 min

Makes 4 servings



Vegetable oil or shortening

1 pound sole, pike or other lean fish fillets,

about 3/4 inch thick

1 1/2 cups Bisquick Original baking mix

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup beer or club soda



1. Heat oil (2 to 3 inches) in deep fryer or Dutch

oven to 375 degrees



2. Cut fish fillets into 8 servings. Mix baking

mix and pepper in medium bowl. Stir in egg and beer

to make thick batter. Dip fish into batter



3. Fry a few pieces fish at a time in oil about 5 min-

utes or until fish flakes easily with fork and is deep

golden brown. Drain on paper towels



Lighter Batter-Fried Fish



For 5 grams of fat and 280 calories per serving, substi-

tute 1 cup flour for 1 cup of the baking mix. Omit

vegetable oil. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Spray cookie sheet

with nonstick cooking spray. Bake fish on lightly oiled

cookie sheet about 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily

with fork

Crab-Stuffed Sole



1 C soft bread crumbs

1 C cooked or canned crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp salt

Dash cayenne pepper

4 sole, flounder or pike fillets (about 1 pound) (I used flounder)

3 T butter or margarine, melted and divided

1 T flour

1/2 C chicken broth

Grated Parmesan cheese

Sliced almonds



In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, crab, onion, egg, salt and cayenne.

Spoon onto fillets; roll up and secure with toothpick if necessary.

Place in a greased (I used a spray) 2 qt. broiler-proof dish; drizzle

with 2 T butter (I sprayed them). Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 25-30

minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. (I used a thermometer

until the stuffing was 160 degrees--about 30 minutes.) Meanwhile, for

sauce, place remaining 1 T butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour until

smooth. Gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2

minutes or until thickened and bubble. Drain liquid from baking dish.

(I used a bulb baster to suction it off rather than end up with my

precious crab in the bottom of the sink!) spoon sauce over fillets;

sprinkle with cheese and almonds. Broil 5 inches from the heat until

cheese is melted and almonds are lightly browned. 4 servings.

Sole with Lemon Cream



Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes



2 tablespoons butter

2 pounds sole fillets, cut to make 4 pieces

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup white flour

3/4 cup heavy cream

grated lemon zest, of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice



In a large nonstick frying pan, melt the butter over moderate heat.

Sprinkle the sole with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Dust

the sole with the flour and shake off any excess. Put the sole in the

pan and cook for 2 minutes. Turn and cook until just done, about 2

minutes longer. Remove the sole from the pan.



Add the cream and lemon zest to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook

until starting to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4

teaspoon salt, the lemon juice, and parsley. Serve the sauce over the

fish.



Wine Recommendation: A ripe, full-flavored chardonnay with oak

overtones will be well suited to the richness of this creamy dish.

Try a bottle from California or Australia.



Source: FamilyTime