Warm Your Belly with Almond Crusted Sole

While salmon and tilapia are the go-to staples in the seafood aisle, the oceans hold a trove of other fish. Sole is a flatfish that's as delicious as it is easy to prepare. You may have tried it à la Meunière, but its svelte dimensions and supple flesh make it well suited for pan frying.

This almond crusted sole covers one side of each fillet in a crust of crushed almonds, sesame seeds, and coriander, adding substance, texture, and flavor to the delicate white-meat fish. The crust acts as an insulator, preventing sole from getting overcooked, and by the time the almonds have formed a golden brown crust, the fillet is almost fully cooked, requiring only a few seconds on the other side to finish it off.

The result is a filet that has a variety of crunchy and crispy textures with rich nutty flavors that accentuate the umami in the fish. I like using Dover sole both for its size and flavor, but this will work with any small flatfish like sanddabs or flounder.

I ended up serving this on a bed of sauteed spinach, but it would be equally good (and beautiful) atop a layer of asparagus. If you're feeling like something more substantial, a simple pasta or even a lemony ramen salad would be pretty awesome.

Other than that, some lemon zest grated on top and a wedge of lemon is all these need, but if you really want to get fancy these are great served with a lemon beurre blanc. Just be sure to sauce the plate and not the fish, as drizzling the sauce on top will cause the crust to get soggy.

If your sole fillets are more than a few inches wide, you'll want to split them in half down the middle where the crease is, as it makes handling them easier.