Sometimes the easiest, most straightforward dishes can provide you with the biggest culinary surprise.
Such was the case recently when I was flipping through one of the cookbooks I brought back from Greece. I had some fillets of sole but I just couldn’t decide how to prepare them…until I saw “the recipe.”
Here’s the humble recipe:
Fillet of Sole With a Tomato and Olive Sauce (ΦιλÎτο γλώσσας με σάλτσα ντομάτας και ελιάς)
(serves 4)
4 fillets of sole
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups of vegetable cocktail juice (V8)
1 Tbsp. of tomato paste
12 pitted black olives, halved
1 medium onion, grated
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. dried Greek oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Pre-heated 375F oven
- Brush some vegetable oil on your fish fillets and season both sides with salt and pepper and carefully roll each fillet and secure with a toothpick. Place on an oiled baking dish and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes.
- In a large skillet, add your olive oil, grated onion, tomato paste and garlic and saute on medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until the onions have softened.
- Add the tomato juice, bring to a boil and simmer until it’s reduced to a thick sauce. Take off the heat, add the oregano and olives and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Reserve and keep warm.
- When your fish is cooked, spoon the tomato and olive sauce onto each plate, place the rolled fillet on top and serve a spoonful of sauce on top of each roll.
- Serve immediately with a mashed potato nest filled with your favourite array of vegetables.
Now read the recipe again and look at the dish. I still find it hard to believe that this rudimentary (albeit delicious) recipe is the same one photographed here.
The bottom line, re-examine your usual dishes and think of a way to change up the presentation.
Usually, I’d serve this fish fillet flat out on the plate, potatoes at 2 O’clock and veggies at 6 O’clock.
A little imagination can go a long way. I don’t know where my mind was at on this day but I pulled a rabbit out of the hat.
I adore how this dish looks, it tasted fabulous and it was ready in 40 minutes after a busy day of meetings.
Enjoy!
66 Responses
I like the presentation with the fish wrapping the sauce!
Holy Neptune, this looks great! My daughter’s favorite fish is sole, and I just LOVE what you’ve done here! I bet that sauce was a real taste bud pleaser. I also like your mashed potato nest … very clever! YUM!
It may be a humble recipe, but your presentation would rival any food stylist!!
Humble?? If I made that it would not look as beautiful as yours!
The presentation is indeed beautiful Peter…it’s great that you were inspired to think outside the box,
Humble, what’s humble about this plate of food???? Stunning, simply stunning..I love the whole thing, but the sauce looks most delicious!!
I love the way your did your presentation. Great way to serve the fish for a change.
Well, how fancy is that?! Woohoo! Fantastic is all I can say.
I like the way this dish looks, I bet it tastes good too!
Those are prize-winning photos, Peter. I’d shop them if I were you. And the recipe is just what I like about most Greek food, particularly the fish…simple tastes best. P.S. It wasn’t magic, it was skill.
It might be humble or modest but still wonderfully well presented and it surely tastes delicious! As British say:”The simplier, the better”.
Lovely pictures and stories as the previous ones of Greece and chickpeas soup ;-) Well done Pete! xxNat
PS: I’m thinking about making the Apricot cake, would it work with baking flour or does it have to be semolina?
i love that little nest – food presented in small attractive packaging makes me feel i’m eating less…
Beyond sounding good the styling on that dish in amazing
I love sole, it is one of my favourite fish.
This looks so delicious, i have bookmarked them to make it..
Love the presentation
Isn’t it awesome what presentation can do for a dish?! I mean, yeah, the ingredients and everything are perfect, too…but when it’s pretty it seems to taste even better. :D
This is seriously getting into restaurant quality. Given the economy maybe this is a good time to get out of financial consulting and open “Dining Experiences”. I can see it now – 3 tables set up in your diningroom and mamma behind a glass enclosed wall making homemade phyllo. Imagine the possibilities.
i swear that the easiest recipes and the ones I spend the least time preparing often turn out the best. this dish looks so light and healthy and delicious.
i swear that the easiest recipes and the ones I spend the least time preparing often turn out the best. this dish looks so light and healthy and delicious.
i swear that the easiest recipes and the ones I spend the least time preparing often turn out the best. this dish looks so light and healthy and delicious.
i swear that the easiest recipes and the ones I spend the least time preparing often turn out the best. this dish looks so light and healthy and delicious.
i swear that the easiest recipes and the ones I spend the least time preparing often turn out the best. this dish looks so light and healthy and delicious.
i swear that the easiest recipes and the ones I spend the least time preparing often turn out the best. this dish looks so light and healthy and delicious.
i swear that the easiest recipes and the ones I spend the least time preparing often turn out the best. this dish looks so light and healthy and delicious.
i swear that the easiest recipes and the ones I spend the least time preparing often turn out the best. this dish looks so light and healthy and delicious.
Marry me!
That really is a delicious recipe and you plated the dish beautifully. I’ve made a similar dish with sole and it’s also become my favorite way to cook that particular fish — sometimes I make the sauce in a pan using most of the same ingredients as you did except adding some diced tomatoes for the V8 and chopped shallot and then spoon it over the cooked fish. When I am really in a no clean up mood I place the fish on alumnium foil or parchment paper, add all the other ingredients on top, seal it up tight and let it cook that way.
The fish looks amazing rolled up that way!
Looks incredible Peter. This is definitely a dish I will try. It looks fast and very straight forward!
I am a fan of sole, usually make petrale several times a month so this recipe is a keeper for me. Thanks Peter.
Beautiful presentation! My husband loves flounder and sole. He’d love this.
Those mashed potato nests are really cute, and I just love fish with tomato. It’s a surprising but great combination!
Isn’t it wonderful when a simple recipe looks and tastes incredible?! I love the potato nests too.
Your presentation heightens the dish to ambrosia.
Peter, when are you opening a restaurant with such tasty food and amazing food styling creations? XD
Que hermoso se ve Peter, what`s beautiful look this, and yummy of course!xGloria
What fabulous plating & what wonderful flavours. i dd go back to read the recipe again. Though I'm not a confident 'fish-maker', I love the flavours here. Great post!
This dish looks just lovely and it sounds delicious! I love that sauce!
It really is a beautiful presentation.
I need help when it comes to cooking fish.
Peter, this dish looks so delicious!! I love tomatoes & olives with fish….a favorite combination for me. Cheers!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
Simplest recipes are often the best, and presentation elevates any recipe to art. Nicely done, Peter.
That is such a great presentation! Perfect inspiration! Thank yoU!
Okay Peter, now you’re really showing off! ;)
That’s really lovely! I like the molded potatoes with peas ‘n carrots. Pretty plate.
Hey,
I read your blogg on and off few months now, I like your food! I love Greece too, thanx for a nice blogg,Anastasia
You are so right Peter, a little bit of time on the presentation can make such a difference. I think you have an eye for it, definitely :)
gorgeous presentation, Peter!! Now I need to learn how to pronounce that mouthful of Greek words :)
Gorgeous plating! A work of art. I love it.
Looks really interesting, cracking work! And ready in 40 minutes?? That’s a keeper!
this is truly gorgeous. although i’d rather look at the fish than eat it, i must say that your mashed potato nest is brilliant and wouldn’t remain so neatly formed in my presence. :)
What a beautiful presentation Peter! As for the taste and flavour… I trust you :D
Looks quite yummy! I just bought some sole filets myself, so bookmarking this recipe.
your pics are getting better and better… keep up the great work.
this sauce is one of my favorite go-to’s for fish. you just can NOT go wrong w/ it!
mmmmm Peter, this looks amazing for the big fish lover that I am!! lovely, lovely!
oh that kevin…
so – you’re going and getting all fancy on us!
i want you to come to nashville and cook for me.
This makes a beautiful presentation as well as being flavourful Peter:D The mashed potato nest in a slice of heaven too:D
Humble?? This looks like art on a plate Peter.
For starters, this sounds delicious–I love that sauce. Then, that presentation is awesome. If I had to roll that fish, it would have crumbled into a million pieces and I would have cursing at the plate for 15 minutes before I gave up on the photos (haha, not that I speak from any experience on this one!). Awesome work
For starters, this sounds delicious–I love that sauce. Then, that presentation is awesome. If I had to roll that fish, it would have crumbled into a million pieces and I would have cursing at the plate for 15 minutes before I gave up on the photos (haha, not that I speak from any experience on this one!). Awesome work
For starters, this sounds delicious–I love that sauce. Then, that presentation is awesome. If I had to roll that fish, it would have crumbled into a million pieces and I would have cursing at the plate for 15 minutes before I gave up on the photos (haha, not that I speak from any experience on this one!). Awesome work
For starters, this sounds delicious–I love that sauce. Then, that presentation is awesome. If I had to roll that fish, it would have crumbled into a million pieces and I would have cursing at the plate for 15 minutes before I gave up on the photos (haha, not that I speak from any experience on this one!). Awesome work
For starters, this sounds delicious–I love that sauce. Then, that presentation is awesome. If I had to roll that fish, it would have crumbled into a million pieces and I would have cursing at the plate for 15 minutes before I gave up on the photos (haha, not that I speak from any experience on this one!). Awesome work
For starters, this sounds delicious–I love that sauce. Then, that presentation is awesome. If I had to roll that fish, it would have crumbled into a million pieces and I would have cursing at the plate for 15 minutes before I gave up on the photos (haha, not that I speak from any experience on this one!). Awesome work
For starters, this sounds delicious–I love that sauce. Then, that presentation is awesome. If I had to roll that fish, it would have crumbled into a million pieces and I would have cursing at the plate for 15 minutes before I gave up on the photos (haha, not that I speak from any experience on this one!). Awesome work
For starters, this sounds delicious–I love that sauce. Then, that presentation is awesome. If I had to roll that fish, it would have crumbled into a million pieces and I would have cursing at the plate for 15 minutes before I gave up on the photos (haha, not that I speak from any experience on this one!). Awesome work
What a beautiful presentation Peter. Its true what you say.
Nat, to answer your question, semolina flour would work best…haven’t tried this cake with all purpose flour.
Thank you v.much for answering my question Peter. I’ve found Semola but I’ll try to look for Semolina in the Gourmet dpt. of the supermarket. If not, I can reduce the semola to a finer dust with the mixer or I can always try with baking flour and tell you what it’s like! :-D Have a nice sunday and Thanks again! Cheers!;-)Nat