Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Fish
- 8 sole fillets, skinned
- sea salt
- white pepper
Spinach & Mushroom Filling
- 200 g cremini mushrooms, cleaned
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- 150 g fresh spinach, washed
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 g fresh thyme leaves
Finishing
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 5 g fresh parsley, chopped
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 221 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbohydrates
- 6 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 770 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 84 mg
- Potassium
- 705 mg
- Calcium
- 88 mg
- Iron
- 1.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 61 mg
- Phosphorus
- 407 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 249 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 16 mg
- Vitamin D
- 4.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 202 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.12 mg
- Niacin
- 1.9 mg
- Folate
- 86 mcg
- Water
- 174 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Finely chop the mushrooms into a duxelles (very small dice). Mince the shallot and garlic.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Sauté the shallots and mushrooms until the moisture evaporates and the mushrooms are golden brown.
Add the garlic, thyme, and fresh spinach to the skillet. Cook until the spinach is completely wilted and any new liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and white pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Lay the sole fillets flat on a clean surface, skin-side (the smoother side) up. Season lightly with salt. Spread a thin layer of the spinach-mushroom mixture along the length of each fillet.
Starting from the wider end (the head), roll the fish towards the tail to create a tight cylinder. Secure with a toothpick if necessary, though they often hold if placed seam-side down.
Prepare a steamer setup with boiling water. Place the rolled fillets in the steamer basket, seam-side down. Cover and steam gently until the fish is opaque and firm to the touch. Target internal temperature 63°C/145°F.
Carefully remove the paupiettes from the steamer. Plate immediately, drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil, and garnish with chopped parsley.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to a good duxelles is patience; let the mushroom liquid fully evaporate to concentrate the flavor before adding the spinach.
- If your sole fillets are very large, you can cut them in half lengthwise before rolling to make smaller, bite-sized paupiettes.
- For an extra French touch, replace the steaming water with a mix of water, white wine, and aromatics to infuse subtle flavor into the fish.
- White pepper is preferred here for aesthetic reasons (no black specks) and its slightly sharper heat which pairs well with fish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Best consumed immediately; fish texture degrades quickly on reheating.
Troubleshooting
Fish unrolls during steaming
Cause: Rolled too loosely or not secured properly
Fix: Secure with toothpick mid-cook if caught early; otherwise serve as 'deconstructed' rolls
Prevention: Place seam-side down firmly or use a toothpick to secure the tail end
Filling is watery
Cause: Mushrooms or spinach were not cooked dry enough
Fix: Drain excess liquid from the plate before serving
Prevention: Ensure all liquid evaporates from the pan during the sauté step
Cultural Context
Paupiettes refer to a piece of meat or fish, beaten thin and rolled around a stuffing. While often made with veal, sole paupiettes are a classic expression of French seafood cookery, emphasizing the natural delicacy of the Atlantic sole without overpowering it with heavy frying batters.
