# dover sole



## precious paws (Jun 7, 2006)

Anyone know how to cook dover sole? I make all kinds of fish and they all come out good except dover sole. For some reason it is very mushy. So if you know how I can cook it where its not mushy please :smhelp: .


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

I have had better luck cooking dover sole in the oven on 400F for about 20 minutes......add whatever spices you like. Of course when I cook it, I'm usually making a batch of food for the littles!


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## precious paws (Jun 7, 2006)

> I have had better luck cooking dover sole in the oven on 400F for about 20 minutes......add whatever spices you like. Of course when I cook it, I'm usually making a batch of food for the littles![/B]


I cook it for my fluff too! 

I also cook it at 400F. Is yours mushy? Like baby food?


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

I love Dover sole. I make it all the time. Beat an egg in a plate, add salt. Put salt on the fish filet (I suppose you are using Dover sole filet). On another plate, pour some breadcrumbs (I like natural plain breadcrumbs). Dip the fish first in the egg and than in the breadcrumbs. Pour some oil in a pan and cook the breaded fish until golden on both sides. Does not take long. I serve with green salad and mashed potatoes.


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

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Nope, if anything, I wait until the edges look crispy, then take it out. So sometimes its in there for 30+ minutes. They love the crispy edges as a treat when I scrape them off. Keeps them worshipping at my feet during cooking time, lol!

I'm going to have to try Maltese Jane's recipe for hubby and myself next time I pick up sole, thanks for the tips!


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## precious paws (Jun 7, 2006)

I tried to cook it in a pan tonight. No breading because its for my malt. I used a tiny bit of olive oil and it came out mushy for me this way too. I think the fish is good quality. Wild caught from whole foods. I must be doing something wrong. I just don't know what.


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## deedeeb (Feb 17, 2008)

by the way, chances are you're not cooking sole. There are a number of varieties of fish sold in this country that are called sole, but, with one possible exception, are actually flounder. The one real McCoy is the Dover sole, which has firm flesh and a delicate taste, but is imported from Europe and expensive. Any other "sole" you buy in the US is a flounder — especially the Pacific flounder, which is sometimes sold under the name "Dover sole.


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## precious paws (Jun 7, 2006)

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Are you cooking the little dover sole fillets? Maybe its not dover sole I'm buying. The tag says dover sole and when I tell the guy what I want, thats what he gives me. I've tried to cook it many times, always comes out mushy.


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## precious paws (Jun 7, 2006)

> by the way, chances are you're not cooking sole. There are a number of varieties of fish sold in this country that are called sole, but, with one possible exception, are actually flounder. The one real McCoy is the Dover sole, which has firm flesh and a delicate taste, but is imported from Europe and expensive. Any other "sole" you buy in the US is a flounder — especially the Pacific flounder, which is sometimes sold under the name "Dover sole.[/B]


Thats what I'm thinking. Maybe its not dover sole. I have bought patrole sole many times and it always comes out great. Lately, the store I shop at hasn't had the patrol sole or the cod or the other fish I like to get. So we tried the dover sole.


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## deedeeb (Feb 17, 2008)

I promise you it isnt sole but flounder - You will never see fresh sole in an American market for less than $20 a pound. Real Dover sole must be flown in. Yes... even at whole foods

Has the fish been previously frozen? Improper freezing/defrosting will cause ice crystals to form and change the texture of th fish. Also the age of the fish matters - old fish=mushy. Marinating fish adds flavor but any marinating should be very brief. If fish flesh sits in acidic ingredients for more than 30 minutes, the acid will begin to denature the delicate protein, and you'll have a mushy fish when it's cooked.

if everytime you get this same fish from the same place it comes out mushy no matter how you prepare it --IMHO its not you - its the fish!!


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## precious paws (Jun 7, 2006)

> I promise you it isnt sole but flounder - You will never see fresh sole in an American market for less than $20 a pound. Real Dover sole must be flown in. Yes... even at whole foods
> 
> Has the fish been previously frozen? Improper freezing/defrosting will cause ice crystals to form and change the texture of th fish. Also the age of the fish matters - old fish=mushy. Marinating fish adds flavor but any marinating should be very brief. If fish flesh sits in acidic ingredients for more than 30 minutes, the acid will begin to denature the delicate protein, and you'll have a mushy fish when it's cooked.
> 
> if everytime you get this same fish from the same place it comes out mushy no matter how you prepare it --IMHO its not you - its the fish!![/B]


The tag says fresh, wild. It looks very fresh. I'm sure its the fish too. I make all kinds of fish and I never have had a problem like this before.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

DeeDee you might be right. The sole does not look the same all the time. Sometimes the pieces are a lot bigger. I don't like this kind. It also has another taste. I buy it mostly when they have the small ones.


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## deedeeb (Feb 17, 2008)

The fish industry can be very shady in giving proper info. They will call many types of fish by the same name even though they are not. Sole, Red Snapper and sea bass are the most common "posers". Forget truth in Fresh v. Frozen or "wild", "organic" and country of origin.


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

What I buy locally that is labeled "Dover Sole" is very thin and delicate. It has no fish smell. It is the same as I get at local fish restuarants that is called Dover Sole. It cooks very quickly in a skillet with just a bit of spray pam. It will easily flake apart if you aren't very careful when cooked and it will hold together better with light breading. If you use egg & plain fine bread crumbs your doggies will love it.

If it is flounder, it is excellent flounder!


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## lorraine (Jun 24, 2006)

> I promise you it isnt sole but flounder - You will never see fresh sole in an American market for less than $20 a pound. Real Dover sole must be flown in. Yes... even at whole foods.[/B]


Living just a few miles from Dover (UK) I am happy to say DeeDeeB is totally correct. The fish many of you are talking about is likely to be the Pacific Sole 


> Because of its prestige, the name "Dover sole" name was borrowed to name the eastern Pacific species Microstomus pacificus, a quite distinct species with different culinary properties: the Pacific sole has thinner, less firm fillets and sells for a higher price.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solea_solea[/B]


If you can get the real thing, please ditch the breadcrumbs. Dover sole has firm, sweet flesh and is best served grilled with just a dash of extra-virgin olive oil painted on with a pastry brush and with a slice of lemon on the side. It is heaven on a plate.
I shall now retire back to lurking :biggrin:


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

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 :HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley: :smrofl: :smrofl:


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Lol, Lorraine. I know how the real sole looks like, that's why I buy it mostly only when I can get the small filets. I know another recipe to make it, but it's more work and I happen to like breaded fish especially that I am not really a fish person.


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

> If you can get the real thing, please ditch the breadcrumbs. Dover sole has firm, sweet flesh and is best served grilled with just a dash of extra-virgin olive oil painted on with a pastry brush and with a slice of lemon on the side. It is heaven on a plate.
> I shall now retire back to lurking :biggrin:[/B]


Lorraine! How are the pups?! For pete sake I thought you were dead or something! (kidding!) So glad to 'hear' your voice! The real thing sounds wonderful! I'm on the Pacific coast so I guess it is not likely I'll see the real thing here. I can't wait to ask my favorite restuarant owner (fish house type) what he puts on the bill as Dover Sole!!  Whatever it is it is extremely delicate and yummy.
Dee (aka Frosty's Mom)


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## lorraine (Jun 24, 2006)

> Lorraine! How are the pups?! For pete sake I thought you were dead or something! (kidding!) So glad to 'hear' your voice! The real thing sounds wonderful! I'm on the Pacific coast so I guess it is not likely I'll see the real thing here. I can't wait to ask my favorite restuarant owner (fish house type) what he puts on the bill as Dover Sole!!  Whatever it is it is extremely delicate and yummy.
> Dee (aka Frosty's Mom)[/B]


Hello, old girl  
I'm still alive - just, the pups are great and I think your Shoni is out-of-this-world gorgeous. :wub: 
If you have any trouble with your restaurant owner, I'll send Gordon Ramsay over to tell it like if is - F word 'n all. Then you can all appear on Kitchen Nightmares :HistericalSmiley: 
Hope you and yours are keeping well :grouphug:


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

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 :HistericalSmiley: :smrofl: :smrofl: 
Love ya'!


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## precious paws (Jun 7, 2006)

Thanks for the information on the dover sole. I bought some of the so called dover sole at a different store yesterday and it was the same gross, mushy fish. :smstarz: It reminded me of jello. I won't be buying it anymore.


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## msmagnolia (Sep 8, 2004)

Where are y'all buying this so called Dover Sole? I've never even seen it in a fish market or store. A restaurant in Jackson, MS has a Sole Parmesan that is fantastic!!!!!!!

Lorraine, thanks for posting. I'll be back in London for a few weeks this summer. I can't wait, despite the dollar to the pound!!!!! And we love Gordon Ramsay. We are watching his Hells Kitchen avidly........


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## lorraine (Jun 24, 2006)

> We are watching his Hells Kitchen avidly........[/B]


Hello Susan
That's IT... Hells Kitchen :biggrin: I could NOT remember the name of the US version  
Hope you enjoy your time in London.


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