Parmesan-Crusted Dover Sole Fillets with Creamy Lemon-Parsley Sauce

by Michelle Dudash, Chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

October 11, 2012 • 2 comments

Recently during restaurant week, I had the pleasure of dining at Eddie V’s, enjoying their four-course prix-fix meal for only $40. And this menu did not have any weak spots. We’re talking wedge salad, lobster bisque, an unbelievably good parmesan-crusted lemon sole with a lemony butter sauce, and butter cake. While I do indulge at restaurants occasionally, at home, of course, I love finding ways to lighten dishes up, as I’ve done with this recipe.

My secret to getting a golden, crunchy, fried-tasting crust is panko breadcrumbs with a bit of canola oil stirred in. (Canola is rich in omega-3 fatty acids on monounsaturated fats—good for one’s diet.) For added flavor, I season liberally. This breading also works well as a coating for chicken breasts.

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Parmesan-Crusted Dover Sole Fillets with Creamy Lemon-Parsley Sauce

For the sole:

1 1/2 cups (120 g) panko breadcrumbs*, preferably whole-wheat, in stores with the natural or Asian foods

1 tablespoon (15 ml) expeller-pressed grapeseed or canola oil

1/3 cup (27 g) Parmesan cheese, shredded on a Microplane grater, packed (or use grated)

1 teaspoon (3 g) garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons (23 g) whole-wheat flour

1 large egg

2 teaspoons (10 g) Dijon mustard

1 pound (455 g) Dover or lemon sole fillets

For the sauce:

1 (6-ounce, or 170 g) container lowfat Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon (15 g) expeller-pressed canola oil mayonnaise or olive oil mayonnaise

1 tablespoon (3.8 g) chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml) lemon juice

1 teaspoon (10 g) Dijon mustard

Pinch of salt

To make the sole: Preheat oven to 450°F (230°F, or gas mark 8 ) and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Place breadcrumbs in a large shallow dish and slowly drizzle in oil while stirring. Add Parmesan, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, pepper and salt. Place the flour in another large shallow dish. Beat egg, mustard, and 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of water in a third dish. With hands, gently toss fish in flour. Add fish to egg mixture and turn to coat. Add fish to breadcrumbs and cover completely. Place breaded fillets on pan with the flattest side down, not touching. Bake on middle rack until breadcrumbs become slightly golden and fish is white and creamy inside, about 8 minutes.

To prepare the sauce: Stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, and lemon juice. Enjoy cooked fish immediately with sauce. Leftovers can be reheated in the oven at 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) the same or next day.

* If you’re using white panko breadcrumbs instead of whole-wheat, add color by toasting them in a sauté pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, tossing every 30 seconds until golden. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika.

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Makes 4 servings, 2 fillets each (with 3 tablespoons sauce)

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 289 calories, 10 g total fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 814 mg sodium, 97 mg cholesterol, 27 g total carbohydrate (4 g fiber), 22 g protein, 10% DV iron, 11% DV calcium, 5% DV Vitamin A, 4% DV Vitamin C.

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