Recipe: Sole Meuniere

Yes, it's Recipe Monday. And tomorrow is Presidential Tuesday. But before I get to that, I just wanted to ask for some good thoughts sent my way. Astute watchers of the calendar will note what today is. I was OK with it, just going to get past it, until last week, it was determined that my father has to go in for major surgery tomorrow. He went to the hospital today for some pre-op testing (an angiogram) and tomorrow he will be operated on to repair an aortic aneurysm and a biopsy on a piece of "a mass" that's hanging out in his lung. We will see what tomorrow brings.

But enough sad stuff, let's talk about food and presidents! I like French food. And there is nothing like a good Sole Meuniere. This from the New York Times Magazine from November 25, 2007, in turn adapted from the book, The Seventh Daughter, by Cecilia Chang.

Sole Meuniere

• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 2 fillets sole
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, diced
• 2 tbsp. white wine
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Place the flour in a wide dish. In a large skillet, heat the oil over high. When hot season the fish generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Cover in flour and then shake off excess. Cook in the oil for 2 minutes, flip and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate.

Pour off the oil and return the skillet to the heat. Whisk in the butter and cook until the butter turns light brown and smells nutty. Add the wine and boil for 20 seconds. Season with two pinches of salt, or to taste. Pour butter over the sole and serve immediately. Serves 2.