Grenoble-Style Sole with Mashed Potatoes

Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds firm potatoes (800 g)

3 1/2 ounces salted butter (100 g)

parsley leaves

fleur de sel

coarse gray sea salt

Grenoble-Style Topping

Step 1: Sole

Scale, dress, and clean the soles. Remove the white and the gray skins as well as the nervous membrane over the outer side of the fillets with a fine bladed knife. Cut off the heads and tails from the soles to obtain even, rectangular-shaped pieces.

Heat the clarified butter in two non-stick fish pans. Season the sole pieces with fleur de sel, and sear them for 3 minutes to give them a nice golden color. Flip, add the butter, and finish cooking, basting continuously with frothy butter.

When cooked, drain the on a stainless steel wire rack, cover the fillets with aluminum foil, and let rest 5 minutes off the range.

Step 2: Potatoes

Clean the potatoes under running water, place them in a pan, and cover with cold water, then add a handful of coarse gray sea salt, and simmer gently.

Drain the potatoes and dry in a 285°F (140°C) oven for 5 minutes. Peel, place in a container set over a double-boiler, and mash with a fork, leaving some large chunks. Fold in the salted butter with the fork, then add a few pounded parsley leaves and mix to combine.

Season to taste, and scrape down the sides of the dish. Cover with plastic wrap, and keep in a warm place until ready to serve.