Dover Sole with Fairy-Ring Champignons Sogliola con Gambesecche

The Dover sole is to me the height of marine deliciousness.  Whichever way you cook it, it is always wonderful, but combined with the delicate fairy-ring champignon, it becomes a dish worthy of serving it at the most demanding table.  To retain every morsel of full flavour I prefer to cook the fish on the bone, then fillet it before serving.

Clean and skin the fish (or ask the fishmonger to do this for you), then dust with flour.  Fry the sole on each side in the butter until crisp.  You may have to use 2 large frying pans because Dover sole are normally quite sizeable.  While you are preparing the sauce, keep the soles warm in a low oven.

Clean the mushrooms well.  Fry the shallot in the butter until soft.  Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for a few minutes.  Add the wine and lemon juice and stir for another minute.  Add the herbs and finally some salt and pepper.  Mix well and set aside.

Fillet the sole carefully by making an incision in the middle of the spine lengthways.  Then cut off and discard the edges, fins, tail and head.  Carefully lift one of the upper fillets, starting from the centre.  If the sole is well cooked, this should come of the bone easily.  Do the same with the other.  When both upper fillets are off, remove the main bone leaving the lower part of the sole intact.  Repeat with all 4 fish.  To serve, put the lower fillet on a hot plate, arrange some of the mushroom mixture lengthways along this, and put the 2 upper fillets on top.  Decorate with a little parsley, if using, and serve accompanied by plain boiled potatoes.