This a great dish to show off to your friends and family, serve 2 fillets of sole as a main or 1 as a starter. Serve with new potatoes and seasonal vegetables as a main or watercress for a starter.
For the sole
8 fillets of lemon-sole
2 slices lemon
1 bay leaf
Sprig lemon thyme
6 peppercorns
Water to cover fish
Large pinch of Maldon salt
For the sauce
1 medium shallot
300ml champagne
300ml light chicken stock
300ml double cream
50g really nice unsalted butter
100g diced smoked salmon
1 tsp of chives
1 tomato skin and seeds removed and diced small cubes
Rapeseed oil
Half lemon
Maldon salt
For the fish
Place the fish in shallow pan cover with water, add the lemon, thyme, bay leaf, salt and peppercorns. Cover loosely with greaseproof paper, place on a medium heat and bring to a gently simmer, cook for around 6-8 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.
Remove from the heat and allow to sit in the liquid for 1 minute.
For the sauce
Heat a medium saucepan on a moderate heat, add 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil and the shallots. Gentle cook down the shallot for around 2-3 minutes, you want the shallots to soften and not colour. Add the champagne and reduce to 2/3, next add the stock and repeat. Add the cream and reduce by half. Turn the heat down and slowly whisk in the butter a little at a time, you want the butter to emulsify with the cream and not split, once all the butter has been incorporated, sieve the sauce into a clean pan and add the smoked salmon, tomato and chive. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and a squeeze of lemon.
Remove the lemon-sole from the poaching liquid and season lightly with salt and a squeeze of lemon, place into a shallow bowl and spoon the sauce over.
