Fricasseed Soles is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of soles that are initially fried, stripped of the meat which is then mixed with bread and egg to form meatballs that are served in a gravy-based sauce flavoured with port wine and lemon juice. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Fricasseed Soles.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
325. INGREDIENTS.—2 middling-sized soles, 1 small one, 1/2 teaspoonful of chopped lemon-peel, 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a little grated bread; salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste; 1 egg, 2 oz. butter, 1/2 pint of good gravy, 2 tablespoonfuls of port wine, cayenne and lemon-juice to taste. Mode.—Fry the soles of a nice brown, as directed in recipe No. 327, and drain them well from fat. Take all the meat from the small sole, chop it fine, and mix with it the lemon-peel, parsley, bread, and seasoning; work altogether, with the yolk of an egg and the butter; make this into small balls, and fry them. Thicken the gravy with a dessert-spoonful of flour, add the port wine, cayenne, and lemon-juice; lay in the 2 soles and balls; let them simmer gently for 6 minutes; serve hot, and garnish with cut lemon.
Time.—10 minutes to fry the soles.
Average cost for this quantity, 3s.
Seasonable at any time. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
2 medium-sized soles and 1 small sole, cleaned and washed
1/2 tsp lemon zest, finely chopped
1 tsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp bread, grated
salt, freshly-ground black pepper and grated nutmeg, to taste
1 egg yolk
60g butter
300ml good quality gravy
1 dessert spoon plain flour
2 tbsp port wine
cayenne pepper, to taste
lemon juice, to taste
1 lemon, sliced, to garnish
Method:
Melt butter in a pan, add the soles and fry until well browned on both sides. Set the two medium soles aside to keep warm. Strip the meat from the bones of the smaller sole and chop finely. Combine in a bowl with the lemon zest, parsley, bread and seasonings. Work together with the egg yolks and butter then shape the mixture into small bowls. Fry these gently in the oil left in the pan until browned all over.
Thicken the gravy by whisking in the flour then mix in the port wine and flavour with the cayenne pepper and port wine. Pour into a pan, add the two soles and the meatballs then bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 6 minutes.
