Ingredients

• 4 tbsp plain flour
• ½-1 tsp chilli powder
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Dover sole
• scaled
• cleaned and trimmed (dark skin removed if you can
• otherwise you could slash it in several places with a sharp knife)
• or other fish of your choice
• 1–2 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
• 12 asparagus spears
• 140g/5oz unsalted butter
• 50g/2oz chopped fresh root ginger
• 4 tbsp lime juice (about 3 limes)
• 30g/1¼oz fresh pomegranate seeds
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Directions

• To prepare the fish
• heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Mix together the flour
• chilli powder and some salt and pepper
• and dust the fish in it
• then shake off any excess. Heat a large
• non-stick
• ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat; use two frying pans if the fish are too large to fit in a single pan. (If you have no ovenproof pans
• then preheat a lightly oiled baking tray.)
• Add the oil and heat it until it hazes. Add the sole (skin-side down if you’ve part-skinned them) and fry
• without moving them
• for 3-4 minutes
• or until they form a golden-brown crust. Turn over and transfer the frying pan to the top of the hot oven (or transfer the fish to the warmed baking tray and place in the oven)
• and cook for a further 8–10 minutes
• or until cooked through and the flesh is opaque.
• Meanwhile
• bring a large pan of salted water to the boil
• drop in the asparagus and simmer for three minutes
• or until just tender. Remove from the water
• drain and set aside.
• For the sauce
• melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat
• and let it bubble for 2-3 minutes
• or until it turns a nut-brown colour. Reduce the heat to low
• add the ginger
• lime juice
• pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander and warm it through; don’t overheat it or it will separate. Season to taste. Serve the sole with the asparagus and spoon the sauce over the top.