How are the sole fillets prepared?

The fish is cleaned, the fillets cut out and all skin removed. The fillets are smoothed with a moist knife, salted lightly, folded together in a buttered, somewhat deep ovenproof dish, and the fish stock is poured over. Then they poach in a hot oven until the fish is cooked.

How is the sauce made?

Butter (60 g) and wheat flour (60 g) are stirred together and thinned with 1 l boiling milk. The sauce draws for about ¼ hour, then fish stock (1¼ dl) and cream are added, and it is reduced to a suitably smooth thickness. Shrimp butter (60 g) also belongs in it.

How is the dish plated?

The fish is arranged in a ring on an oval serving platter, the cleaned, warm shrimp are placed in the center, and the sauce is poured over the whole thing.

Where does the recipe come from?

From Henriette Schønberg Erken's 'Stor kokebok' (1914), page 87. It serves 6 and takes about 70 minutes.

Sole fillet with shrimp (filets de sole aux crevettes) – 1914 recipe

About the dish

A simpler sister to the other sole-fillet dishes in the fish chapter. Shrimp and shrimp butter replace lobster, and the dish is arranged as a ring with shrimp in the center – a typical presentation in Erken's party kitchen.

How to make it

1
Prepare the fish
Clean the sole, cut out the fillets and remove all skin. Smooth the pieces with a moist knife and salt them lightly.
2
Poach the fish
Fold the fillets together in a buttered, somewhat deep ovenproof dish, pour over 4 dl fish stock and let the fish poach in a hot oven until cooked through.
3
Make the sauce
Stir together butter and flour, thin with the boiling milk and let the sauce draw gently for 15 minutes. Add 1.25 dl fish stock and the cream, and reduce to a suitably thick sauce.
4
Plate
Arrange the fish in a ring on an oval serving platter and place the cleaned, warm shrimp in the center.
5
Finish
Stir the shrimp butter and the 100 g cleaned shrimp into the sauce just before serving, and pour the sauce over the whole thing.

Changes from the original

Measurements are converted to modern units. The milk quantity is reduced from 1 l to 5 dl since the sauce in the original is reduced heavily. The fish stock is split into the amount the fish poaches in (4 dl) and the amount for the sauce (1.25 dl). Cream is listed in the ingredient list (about 1 dl), since it is mentioned in the method but missing from the original list. Shrimp butter can be replaced with butter stirred with finely chopped shrimp or shrimp shells.

Original 1914 recipe

Verbatim from the first edition of the Big Cookbook.

Facsimile of the 1914 page at the National Library of Norway — Foto: Faksimile: Nasjonalbiblioteket

ProofreadPage 87

3 tunger 4 del. fiskekraft salt ½ l. ræker 60 gr. smør 60 gr. hvetemel 1 l. kokende melk 1¼ del. fiskekraft 60 gr. rækesmør 100 gr. rensede ræker. Fisken renses, fileterne utskjæres, og alt skind fjernes. Glat fiskestykkerne med en fugtig kniv og salt dem let. Fiskefileterne lægges sammen, lægges i ildfast, litt dypt, smurt fat, paaheldes fiskekraften og trækker i varm ovn, til fisken er kokt. Fisken lægges i krans paa et ovalt anretningsfat; de rensede, varme ræker lægges i midten, og sausen heldes over det hele. Til sausen røres smør og mel sammen, spædes med den kokende melk; smaatrækker ¼ time, tilsættes fiskekraften og fløten, koker ind, til sausen er passe jevn eller til man har ca. ⅘ l. saus. Idet fisken skal anrettes, røres rækesmørret og de rensede ræker i.

Revised 1949 recipe

From the revised edition of the Big Cookbook.

Facsimile of the 1949 page at the National Library of Norway — Foto: Faksimile: Nasjonalbiblioteket

ProofreadPage 107

(Filets de sole aux crevelles.) Ingredienser: 3 tunger 4 del. fiskekraft salt ½ l. reker 60 gr. smør 60 gr. hvetemel 1 l. kokende melk 1½ del. fiskekraft 60 gr. rekesmør 100 gr. rensede reker. Fisken renses, filetene utskjæres, og alt skinn fjernes. Glatt fiskestykkene med en fuktig kniv og salt dem lett. Fiskefiletene legges sammen, legges i ildfast, litt dypt, smurt fat, påhelles fiskekraften, og trekker i varm ovn til fisken er kokt. Fisken legges i krans på et ovalt anretningsfat; de rensede, varme reker legges i midten, og sausen helles over det hele. Til sausen røres smør og mel sammen, spedes med den kokende melk; småtrekker ½ time, tilsettes fiskekraften og fløten, koker inn til sausen er passe jevn, eller til man har ca. ½ l. saus. Idet fisken skal anrettes, røres rekesmøret og de rensede reker i, men dette skal ikke koke.