Highly-prized on the food market, both lemon and Dover sole are large flat fish commonly found in British waters throughout the summer. Try these sole goujons for a summer party canapé or special ‘light bite’.
SERVES 6
225g thick sole fillets, skinned
2 tbsp seasoned flour
1 egg, beaten
50–100g breadcrumbs, toasted
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Watercress sprigs and lemon wedges, to serve
For the crostini
1 thin French baguette, sliced into thin rounds
Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
For the watercress tartare sauce
50g watercress leaves, blanched, squeezed dry and very finely chopped
300ml mayonnaise
1 tsp freshly chopped tarragon
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
1 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
2 tbsp chopped gherkins
- Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5. To make the crostini, brush both sides of each slice of bread with olive oil and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 mins until crisp and golden. Let cool, then keep in an airtight container until ready to use. It is best to reheat them in the oven before adding the topping.
- Cut the sole fillets diagonally across the grain into thin strips. Toss the fingers in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess. Dip the sole fingers into the beaten egg in batches, turning them until well coated. Give them a bit of a shake, then toss in the breadcrumbs until evenly coated. Put them on a tray, making sure they don’t touch, cover them with clingfilm and refrigerate.
- To make the tartare sauce, beat the watercress into the mayonnaise then fold in the tarragon, parsley, capers and gherkins. Taste and season well with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the vegetable oil in a wok or deep-fat fryer to 190C or until a piece of stale bread turns golden in a few seconds when dropped in. Fry the sole sticks in batches until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels, then sprinkle with salt.
- Spread the crostini with a good dollop of tartare sauce, then top each one with 2 or 3 sole sticks. Serve with a few sprigs of watercress and some lemon wedges.
Panini, Bruschetta & Crostini, published by Ryland Peters & Small