Ingredients

• 1 x 350g/12oz lemon sole
• 200g/7oz butter
• cut into 1cm/½in cubes
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 lemons
• juice only
• 1 bulb fennel
• finely sliced
• fennel tops reserved for later
• 1 banana shallot
• finely chopped
• 250ml/9fl oz dry white wine
• preferably Sauvignon Blanc
• 200g/7oz mussels
• cleaned
• 200g/7oz clams
• 50ml/2fl oz Pernod

Directions

• Trim the fins and tail from the sole.
• Slash the top of the fish three times diagonally on each side.
• Heat a large frying pan until hot
• then add 50g/1¾oz of the butter.
• When it turns brown
• drop the fish into the butter and cook over a medium heat for five minutes.
• Dot the top of the fish with a further 50g/1¾oz of butter and sprinkle with sea salt
• black pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
• Place under a hot grill for six minutes.
• Meanwhile
• in a deep sauté pan
• add another 50g/1¾oz of butter
• the sliced fennel and shallot.
• Sauté for three minutes
• then add the white wine and shellfish.
• Put the lid on and cook for two minutes.
• Place the sole on a serving dish
• then lift out the fennel and shellfish and place around the sole.
• To finish
• turn up the heat in the sauté pan and add the Pernod
• then whisk in the rest of the butter
• allowing the sauce to emulsify.
• Pour the sauce over the fish and decorate with the reserved fennel tops to serve.