Crab-Stuffed Sole Meunière

On a recent weekend jaunt to Las Vegas, the other half was particularly impressed by the crab-stuffed sole at one of the buffets. So much so that he took "all you can eat" to a new level.

So, of course, I was required to come home and recreate the recipe. I did a pretty bang-up job...if I do say so myself. This version gilds the lily by topping the fish with a bright classic butter sauce with lemon and parsley.

Crab-Stuffed Sole Meunière
Makes 2 servings.

For crab stuffing and fish:
4 oz jumbo lump crab meat (1 cup)
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely diced yellow bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2(4 ounce)sole fillets
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

To prepare stuffing and fish:
Preheat oven to 450°F.

Mix crab, mayonnaise, bell pepper, and parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Place flour in pie dish. Rinse fish; pat with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides of fish with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Dredge fish on both sides with flour; shake off excess.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until oil is hot and shimmers. Add butter; quickly swirl skillet to coat. When foam subsides, add fish and cook just until golden on bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully turn fish over and cook until opaque in center and golden on bottom, 1 minute more. (You don't want fish to be cooked completely.) Place fish fillets in lightly-oiled pie plate.

Divide stuffing among fillets, mounding on thicker half of each. Fold thinner half of fillet over stuffing, tucking end under to form a packet. Cover with a round of parchment paper, then cover pie plate tightly with foil.

Bake in upper third of oven until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Uncover and add bread crumb topping (recipe below) for last 3-4 minutes of cooking.

For garlic bread crumb topping:
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fine fresh bread crumbs

Make bread crumbs while sole is baking:

Cook garlic in oil in a small skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in bread crumbs and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in zest and season with salt and pepper.

For sauce:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Lemon wedges

Place skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter; cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and lemon juice (sauce may sputter).

To serve, spoon sauce onto serving plates and place sole on top. (That way, you get the deliciousness of the sauce while the breadcrumbs stay toasty crisp.)