Sole is a beautiful, mild tasting fish that adds prestige to any menu. It's very delicate and the fillet will stay flexible even after cooking due to its thinness and soft texture. To help prevent it from sticking when pan-searing, many Chefs dust the Sole with flour. With the high demand for gluten-free options on the menu, I wanted to share some tips for pan-searing without any pre-dusting. This will help reveal the true attributes of the Sole instead of masking it under a thin layer of brown flour.

You eat with your eyes first!! Take for example the Sole in the above picture. If I had dusted this with flour first, it would look nothing like what you see in the photo. You would not see the symmetrical lines that exist within the fillet. It would also taste different. When we avoid a dusting, we are truly searing the fish and creating an elevated eating experience. This is one of the reasons why people come out to eat - to experience things they find difficult to duplicate at home.

So instead of a guiding you along with photos, I’ve put together a video to help share the knowledge. Once you’ve mastered the technique with Sole, searing other fish will seem easy in comparison. These are the things to remember:

• Use a quality heavy bottom stainless steel/aluminum pan that is completely flat.
• Be patient and allow the oil to just reach the smoking point before adding in the Sole.
• The surface of the Sole must be gently patted dry before entering the hot pan.
• A flexible spatula is a must.

Video can be found here

Recipe in the video can be found here

Until next time….Stay hungry my friends!!!