Sole is a flat fish with a very mild flavour so it takes on the flavours of whatever it is cooked with. Sliced citrus, olive oil and fresh herbs compliment it without being too overpowering. Serving it with a fruit salsa adds some sweetness and soft texture that meshes well with the fish as it flakes off with each bite.
Sole is high in protein, B vitamins for energy, including the harder to get B12 and selenium, a powerful antioxidant. Everyone can benefit from eating fish at least once per week and a more subtle option like this can appeal to those who aren’t the biggest seafood fans. This cooking style doesn’t have to be precise and other citrus like lemon or orange can be substituted for the lime, as can any fresh herbs for the thyme. Since sole is so thin I like to fold the ends under to create a thicker fillet more like halibut but it can be left as is and cooked for 5 minutes less or so.
- 4 fillets wild sole (or any preferred white fish) around 4 oz each
- 5 limes, 4 sliced and 1 quartered for its juice
- 4 teaspoons cold-pressed olive oil
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Cherry Thyme Salsa
- 1 packed cup cherries, pitted and quartered
- 1 jalapeño, minced (seeds removed for less heat)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice (1/2 lime)
- 1 tablespoon red onion, minced
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or raw honey)
- ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- A few dashes sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Preheat oven to 400°. Set up the fish in individual baking dishes or one large one. Use the slices of 1 lime per fish fillet, start with a few slices under each piece, add a sprig of thyme, place the fish on top, then another sprig of thyme and a few more slices of lime. If the ends are really thin tuck them under so it all cooks evenly. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over each fillet then lightly sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Cover and bake for 20 minutes.
- Mix together all the salsa ingredients in a small bowl then set aside to marinate until the fish is ready.