Stuffed Sole in Saffron Sauce

By John, 26 July, 2020
Region
Italy
Description

Stuffed Sole with Saffron SauceI found this elegant recipe in the excellent Classic Food of Northern Italy by Anna del Conte. It's not hard to make, it cooks quickly, and it's fine enough to serve to guests as a course at a fancy dinner.

You have to use good saffron to get the full effect of this dish. The sauce is exquisite as it pairs with the delicate sole. 

Yield
2 Servings
Preparation time
30 minutes
Ingredients
1 T golden raisins
16 oz Sole Fillets
2 oz Spinach
1 T Pine Nuts
20 Saffron threads
1⁄2 t Sugar
1⁄4 c Dry White Wine
2 c Fish Stock (made with 1/5 dry white wine)
2 T Butter (Unsalted)
Instructions
  1. Plump up the raisins in hot water.
  2. Put the stock in a shallow pan and heat it to a simmer.
  3. Lay out the fish fillets on a workspace, add salt and pepper if you like that, then on each fillet lay the spinach along the length of the fillet and then the raisins and pine nuts at one end.
  4. Roll the fillets with the raisins and the pine nuts in the center of the roll. Secure each with a toothpick.
  5. Gently transfer the fish rolls into the simmering stock and cook for 6 minutes, or until done (depending on the thickness of the fish).
  6. Pound the saffron threads with the sugar in a mortar until the saffron is crushed. Add a spoonful or two of the hot poaching liquid to dissolve it.
  7. When the rolls are cooked, remove them to a warm plate and turn the heat to high. Add the dry white wine and boil the liquid down by half - this will become the sauce.
  8. When reduced, stir in the saffron mixture and finish with the butter. Serve hot.
Source
Adapted from Classic Food of Northern Italy