Despite the name, lemon sole doesn't actually taste anything like lemon, but rather has a sweet, delicate flavour. The name instead, refers to the shape of the fish, which is rather lemon-like. The fish isn't actually a sole either, but a flounder. Though not the same family as the Dover sole, the two are quite interchangeable. The average lemon sole is around 30cm in size (but they can reach up to 65cm) and has a white belly and mottled brown skin.
Lemon sole is in season from January to May, and is a very plentiful fish– particularly on the Cornish coast. This means it’s very well-priced, and a cheaper alternative to Dover sole. Although rated as sustainable by the MCS, make sure you always buy it from a trusted supplier.
Be sure to pick fish larger than 25cm to avoid ones that are immature and, as with buying any fish, check for clear, non-cloudy eyes, firm flesh and a clean smell of the sea. The fins and tail should not be damaged.
Portions are typically one fish per person, often served whole, which makes for a nice, easy preparation for the trepidatious fish cook. However, fillets are also available to buy ready-prepped. Sole bones make great fish stock, so ask to keep them if purchasing from a fish-mongers.
Due to its delicate flavour and thin fillets, care must be taken when cooking lemon sole. Cooking the fish whole is the guaranteed way to success here; it's quick, minimal fuss, and the smaller fish are a perfect portion for one. You can serve up on show-stopping platters, or it's easy enough to fillet once cooked– the tough brown skin will peel away easily, then the flesh should come away from the bones perfectly.
If you're cooking fillets, you can dredge them in flour first, which will help give them a crisp and golden finish without having to cook them for too long (which can result in them drying out.) Rolling the fillets up into little coils and steaming or baking them is also a good way of preventing the fish from drying out.
Take a look at our quick and easy methods for cooking whole or pan-fried below.
Steaming is an excellent way to cook lemon sole if you want to really celebrate its delicate, pure flavour. The thin fillets don’t take long to cook so it can be a very speedy way to make dinner. The French classic Sole Veronique involves gently steaming the fish in vermouth, before serving it up in a gentle cream sauce. Paul Foster gently pan-steams sole fillets with butter and serves it with asparagus and peas, a real celebration of Spring.
If filleted, small flat fish like sole only needs a couple of minutes cooking time. Bread-crumbing or battering is an excellent way to stop the small fillets drying out or falling apart, and who doesn’t love a posh fish finger?