There’s a great pub near us called The Sun at Northaw that does fantastic food. We started going so much that we became friends with Ollie, the che£ and his wife Sarah who own the place. One of my favourite things to eat there is the lemon sole with the brown shrimp butter; I had to include it in my book. There are two ways to cook the brown shrimp butter - the long, hard way where you take the shrimps, remove the shells and boil the shells with the butter or the easy way, which is definitely the best way for me.
Ingredients – serves 4
- oil or butter, for frying
- 4 x lemon sole fillets, weighing
- about 300-400 g (IO-I3 oz) each
For the brown shrimp butter
- 100 ml (379 fl oz) white wine
- 125 g (4 oz) salted butter
- 2.50 g (8 oz) brown peeled shrimps
- a good pinch of cayenne pepper
- juice of % lemon
- a handful of freshly chopped parsley (optional)
To serve (optional)
- buttered spring greens
- red Chard tossed in butter and garlic
- or a green salad
Preparation method
- Gently melt some oil or butter in a heavy-based frying pan and lightly fry the lemon sole fillets for 1-2. minutes on each side until the outside edge turns white. Remove the fish from the pan and keep it warm while you make the butter.
- Put the frying pan back on the hob, add the wine and bring to the boil. Add half the butter.
- When it has melted, add the brown shrimps and the cayenne pepper.
- Cut the remaining butter into small pieces.
- When the butter has boiled with the shrimps and the cayenne it will start to go a little brown. Wait until it smells nutty and goes
- really brown, this will take about five minutes, take the pan off the heat and add the rest of the cubed butter and the lemon juice - it will spit so take care at this stage.
- Add a little chopped parsley, if using, and then pour the butter over your fish before serving. Serve with buttered spring greens, red chard tossed in butter and garlic or a green salad.
