Buttery Sole
2-3 Fillets of sole (a mild white fish), thawed
1 1/2 Tbsp butter (gotta be real butter)
Garlic salt to taste
Melt the butter in a skillet that is large enough to hold the fish in a single layer. Place the fish in the melted butter and sprinkle garlic salt on top. Cover the skillet with a lid. Keep the temperature of the burner on medium to medium-low to prevent the butter from browning. When the fish begins to turn white, spoon some of the melted butter on top of the fish. This will spread the flavor and help the top to cook. Cover and cook until all the fish is solid white and the thickest part flakes easily with a fork. Remove to a plate and spoon the butter over the fish and serve. Add more garlic salt if desired.
That recipe was one of my favorite creations for a long, long time. It was a sad, sad day when I realized that being allergic to milk meant I could never have it again. Butter has some milk in it, and margarine simply does not work well in this recipe. I just didn't cook it for a while, and went back to broiling my sole or not eating it at all.
One evening, I was looking for something to eat. It was late at night, and I didn't want something heavy or complicated, but I did want protein. I thought that fish might be nice, but all my fish was frozen. I have used frozen fish in the oven, but I didn't want to heat up the kitchen. I decided to see what would happen if I used frozen fish in a skillet. I knew it had to be a thin fillet, otherwise it would dry out before it was cooked through. So, I settled on sole. It was the perfect opportunity to try a new version of my Buttery Sole.
Before I describe what I did, you have to know a little bit about how fish is frozen. First, they flash freeze the fish. Then they dip the frozen fish in water, and freeze it again. Sometimes they repeat that process up to 2 more times. So when you thaw out the fish, you get a piece of fish, swimming in melted ice.
I knew when I put the frozen fish in the hot pan that the ice would melt. I decided to use that water to prevent the fish from sticking to the pan. No fat, not even cooking spray, would be needed. It worked as I expected and the process was much like poaching, which is basically cooking something in simmering water. So, here's a picture and the final recipe.
2-3 frozen fillets of sole
buttery popcorn salt
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat until you can feel the heat rising from the pan. If you don't have a non-stick skillet, you may need to add a little water to prevent sticking. Place the fillets in the skillet and cover. Covering the pan prevents the water from evaporating too quickly. Cook until the fish is solid white and the thickest part flakes easily with a fork. If the pan stays covered, you won't need to turn the fish over, because the steam will cook the top. Remove the fish to a plate and sprinkle with popcorn salt (or any other salt or seasoning you like).
This recipe is so simple. It has a little less flavor than the Buttery Sole, but it does let the fish shine through. Sole is one of those kinds of fish that really doesn't need any help, so it works perfectly for something like this. This creation reflects something that I learned long ago, but still have to re-learn occasionally. Some of the best creations are simply making the most of something that's already good. You don't need 10 ingredients, 5 steps, and 30 minutes to make something fantabulous. Just look for something that's already good, and prepare it as simply as possible. That is the simplest, fastest, and easiest way to enjoy the creative process and enjoy the food.
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