Dover Sole (for Two) Recipe

Prepare fish

Pat the Dover sole fillets very dry with paper towels. Season both sides lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Lightly flour

Place the tablespoon of all-purpose flour on a plate and dredge each fillet lightly, shaking off excess so the coating is a thin, even dusting.

Heat pan

Place a large nonstick or well-seasoned stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Heat until butter foams and begins to turn a pale gold but not brown.

Pan-sear fillets

Gently lay the floured fillets into the hot pan, one at a time, leaving space between them. Cook undisturbed 2 to 3 minutes until the undersides are golden and edges are opaque. Carefully flip using a thin spatula and cook the second side 1 to 2 minutes until just cooked through (fish should flake easily). Transfer fillets to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil.

Make pan sauce

Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Add the minced garlic and minced shallot and sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant (do not brown). Pour in the white wine (if using) and simmer 30–45 seconds to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and capers and swirl to combine. Let sauce bubble gently 30 seconds so flavors marry and sauce reduces slightly. Off the heat, swirl the sauce to emulsify and thicken with the butter.

Stir in the chopped parsley and snipped chives into the sauce. Taste and season the sauce with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.

Finish

Return the cooked fillets to the pan briefly (about 15 seconds) spooning the lemon-butter-caper sauce over them to rewarm and coat. Transfer each fillet to plates, spoon remaining sauce over the top, and garnish with additional chopped parsley or chives if desired.

Serve

Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side. Suggested accompaniments: buttered new potatoes, steamed green beans, or a simple mixed greens salad.