Classically, meunière refers to fillets of sole that are floured and quickly sautéed in clarified butter, then finished with parsley, lemon juice, and a little melted butter. Over the years the definition has expanded to encompass a series of flexible techniques that can be applied to just about any thin cut of meat, poultry, or fish.You can serve this with a salad and bread, or with any good potato and vegetable combination. True sole is a uniquely firm fish, best replaced not by local “soles” (like gray sole or Pacific sole) but by sturdy fillets like red snapper, grouper, catfish, black-fish, or sea bass.

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　4 red snapper fillets, about 1 1/2 pounds

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　Flour or cornmeal for dredging

　　Extra virgin olive oil, other oil, butter, clarified butter (page 241), or a combination for sautéing

　　1 to 2 tablespoons butter, optional

　　1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

　　2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

　　

Step 1

Heat a 12-inch skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes.While it is heating, sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and place the flour or cornmeal on a plate.

　　

Step 2

Place enough oil or butter in the skillet to coat the bottom well and place over high heat. When the oil is hot, dredge a fillet in the coating, turning it over a few times and pressing it down so that it is well covered. Add the fillet to the pan, then repeat.

　　

Step 3

Cook until the fillets are nicely browned on the first side, about 3 minutes, then turn and cook on the second side for 2 to 4 minutes, lowering the heat a bit if the coating begins to scorch, until the fish is firm to the touch. As the fish is cooking, melt the butter, if you’re using it, over medium heat until it is nut brown.

　　

Step 4

When the fish is done, drain it briefly on paper towels, then transfer to a warm platter. Drizzle with lemon juice and top with half the parsley. At the last minute, pour the browned butter over all, add the remaining parsley, and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.