Sole with Wine and Mushrooms

Sole with Wine and Mushrooms

2 lb lemon sole fillets
Better Than Bouillon Fish Base
bundle of sweet herbs (tarragon, dill, marjoram, thyme, parsley)
½ medium onion, peeled and quarteed
4 black peppercorns
3 pieces of blade mace or ½ tsp mace powder
1 strip lemon peel
salt and pepper to taste
3 oz. beurre manié* made with 1 ½ oz each of softened butter and flour
8 fl oz white Bordeaux wine
4 oz button mushrooms, quartered
a few drops lemon juice
pinch of grated nutmeg
1 tbl chopped rest parsley
lemon wedges

~oOo~

1. Cut fillets in half lengthways and all fillets in half across
2. Make the stock.
   1. Bundle small amount of sweet herbs in muslin bag or cheesecloth.
   2. Add 20 oz water and 2 ½ tsp Better Than Bouillon, mace, peppercorns, lemon peel.
   3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   4. Cover and cook until stock is reduced to just under 2 cups.
3. Strain stock into a large skillet that will hold all the fish.
4. Off heat, add 2 oz of beurre manié in small portions and stir them in.
5. Add wine, mushrooms, lemon juice and nutmeg.  Stir to combine.
6. Place the skillet over medium heat and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened.
7. Add the fish fillets and simmer, shaking the pan gently, until the fish are cooked and opaque through the centre.  This will only take a few minutes.
8. With slotted fish spatula, gently remove the fish fillets and mushrooms and plate.
9. Spoon sauce over the fish, sprinkle with chopped parsley and garnish with lemon wedges.

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Serves 4-6
Adapted from the Jane Austen Cookbook by Maggie Black and Deirdre LeFaye c. 1995
 
*Beurre mania is equal parts flour and softened butter. Do not melt the butter or cook the mixture like you would do with a roux.