Mousse of Sole

In this recipe, sole fillets are filled with a farce made of fish, sour cream, milk, egg and cayenne pepper. It is fast to prepare and very elegant.

Served warm or cold with a few shrimp sautéed in garlic and garnished with fresh dill, this mousse makes a nice starter. Alternatively, you can serve it with pasta and maybe a garlic and white wine sauce and you have a wonderful full meal.

Ingredients

• 1 lb 9 oz / 750 g sole (or other mild fish) fillets
• ½ cup / 120 ml sour cream
• ¾ cup / 180 ml milk
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 egg, separated
• 2 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
• about 2 tbsp butter

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
2. Grease 6 ramekins with butter.
3. Trim sole fillets and wrap around the inside wall of the ramekins. Use about 10-13 oz / 300-400 g of the fillets.
4. Combine the remaining fillets and the trimmings with the milk and puree with a stick blender. Stir in sour cream, egg yolk, cayenne pepper and salt. Mix well.
5. Stir in chopped dill.
6. Beat the egg white to stiff peaks. Carefully combine with the fish farce and distribute the mixture equally between the ramekins.
7. Put a small piece of butter on top of each ramekin. Tightly cover ramekins with aluminum foil (see photo below).
8. Set the ramekins in a hot water bath. Use an ovenproof pan; the water level should be about half the height of the ramekins.
9. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Turn ramekins over on plates. The fish mousse should come out easily.

Preparation time about 1 hour.

Yields 6 servings.