Lemon Sole with Pancetta Pockets

I'm always looking for fish recipes that can be prepared in advance, are easy to prepare and yet look and taste great.  This recipe does all the above - I have served it during the week and at smart dinner parties.  You can replace the lemon sole in the recipe with plaice or even Dover sole if you want to.

Lemon Sole with Pancetta pockets

Serves 4

Ingredients

Butter for the dish

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion,  finely chopped

4 rashers of pancetta or streaky bacon

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp anchovy sauce

4 large lemon sole fillets, skinned

A little melted butter

Pinch of paprika

Lemon wedges to serve

To Finish

50g/ 2oz unsalted butter

Juice ½ lemon

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 

Butter and season the base of an ovenproof dish large enough to take the sole in a single layer

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and cook gently over a low heat for about 15 mins until tender.

Snip the pancetta  into small pieces, add to the onion, increase the heat and fry until crisp.  Transfer to a plate and leave to cool, then stir in the parsley, anchovy sauce and black pepper.

Arrange the fillets in the buttered dish, skinned side up.  Season and then divide the stuffing into four, then spoon in the centre of the fillets.  Hold each end of the fillets and twist them in opposite directions to form a pocket showing the stuffing, like a straight croissant.  Brush the fillets with melted butter and sprinkle with paprika. ###

Bake in a preheated oven 180c/fan 160c/gas 4 for 12-15 mins until the fish is just cooked through.

To finish; melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the lemon juice and parsley.  To serve place the fish in the centre of a warm plate, drizzle over the lemon butter sauce and serve with the lemon wedges 

To get ahead; get to ### then cover the fish with cling film and keep in the fridge for up to 12 hours.       

To freeze; not suitable