Lemon sole with crab & tarragon butter sauce

This impressive fish dish looks great on a platter for sharing – just add buttery new potatoes and some greens, if you like.

TAKES 40 MINUTES • SERVES 2

50g/2oz butter, softened

1 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves

50g/2oz crab, half white meat, half brown

1 lemon, zest removed, then cut into thin slices

1 large whole lemon sole or 2 small ones, descaled and gutted (ask your fishmonger to do this), washed and dried

50ml/2fl oz white wine

1 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained

2 tbsp double cream

steamed potatoes and green salad, to serve

1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a small bowl, mash the butter with the tarragon, crabmeat and lemon zest. Season.

2 Make a few deep slashes across the fillets on both sides of the sole, then put the fish, dark-skin side up, in a roasting tin. Season, then stuff the crab butter into the cuts, spreading any remaining butter on top. Lay a few lemon slices over the fish, then pour over the wine.

3 Bake for 15–20 minutes, depending on the size of the fish – the flesh should flake away easily from the bone when gently pushed with a knife.

4 Carefully remove the fish from the tin, put on a warm plate or platter and cover with foil. Set the tin over a low heat, add 2 tablespoons water and bring to the boil. Let it bubble for a few minutes, then stir in the capers and cream. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve with steamed potatoes and a green salad.

PER SERVING 492 kcals, protein 27g, carbs 2g, fat 40g, sat fat 24g, fibre none, sugar 2g, salt 1.3g