Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Sole (a la Slenniere). — Clean, skin, and empty a fine fresh sole, cut away the fins and SOL ( 890 ) SOL gills, and with a sharp knife make four gashes right across it on both sides. Kub into these a little salt and chopped onion ; dip the sole in flour, and broil it over a clear but gentle fire. Lay it on a hot dish, rub it well on both sides with a slice of fresh butter which has been mixed with the juice of a lemon and a little cayenne, put it in a brisk oven for a minute or two, and serve very hot. Time, ten to fifteen minutes, according to thickness. Probable cost, Is. to Is. 6d. Sufficient for three or four persons. Sole (a la Miromesnil). — Take three soles, scale them on both sides, and empty them nicely without injuring the flesh. Make an incision on the black side. Fry them without dipping them into flour. When they are done, drain them on a clean cloth, open the place where you have made the incision, cut the bone near the head and tail, and draw it out. Let the fish 'cool. Make a steward's sauce cold; that is to say, mix a lump of butter with some parsley chopped very fine, pepper, salt, and the juice of a lemon. Divide the butter into three equal parts, and put one part into the opening of each sole ; close the opening, and make the whole stick by means of the yolk of an egg ; put a few crumbs of bread at the joint. Then dip the soles into an omelet of two eggs, and next into crumbs of bread, equally on aU sides. When dinner-time is come, fry the soles in hot dripping. They are done as soon as they are coloured. The sauce is found in the sole itself. This is what we call in France an entree bourgeoise — a city dish. ^Ude. Sole (au Gratin). — This dish is much liked, but as only one sole can be cooked at a time, the guests should not exceed four, unless the fish be a large one. The French have an oblong metal dish, mostly in silver, for the purpose, so that the sole may be served in the dish in which it is cooked. Grease the bottom of the dish with butter to prevent the fish sticking, chop some parsley and a shallot, spread lightly, add some salt and pepper, a little wine or brandy, lay the sole upon it, spread over the same things on the top of the sole, and some lumps of butter, with some button mushrooms, or a table-spoonful of ketchup and a little of any | gravy that may be at hand ; rasp over some bread-crumbs, and cook the fish gently in the oven. Time, about half an hour ; if the fish be thick it will talce longer. Sole (au Gratin — another way). — Prepare and wash the soles as in the recipe Soles with Water Souchet, and rub the dish with a little butter; spread over it parsley, shallot, and mushroom (each chopped), salt, pepper, &c. ; lay the soles over this, and on the top of them spread some fine raspings of crust of bread, and parsley chopped, &c., as under. Put several small bits of butter over the soles, a glassful of white wine, a tea-spoonful of each of the following articles— essence of anchovies, cavice, chilli vinegar, and Harvey's Sauce; and -when the soles have been in the oven twenty minutes, mix with the spoon the sauce that you baste the fish with. Mind, the sauce must be short, as it is called au gratin. This is a very palatable dish. — Ude.