Sand sole is an often-overlooked species – which is a shame, as it’s a real treat.
Paler in colour, and often cheaper than its illustrious relative the Dover sole, the sand sole is caught mainly off the south west of Britain and landed into ports such as Newlyn and Brixham.
With a localised distribution, the sand sole is never a guaranteed catch. So, if you see it on your fishmongers’ slab then be sure to snap one up.
Identification
The sand sole is a helpful fellow when it comes to identification – with not one but three distinguishing features – as the below image perfectly demonstrates.
Sand sole preparation
In terms of taste, the sand sole is very similar to that of the Dover sole – and is normally a fair bit cheaper.
The skin of a sand sole is rough, much like a cat’s tongue. Therefore, it’s best to skin the fish in the same manner as you would a Dover sole.
Rick Stein has a particularly handy tip when it comes to skinning a Dover sole, and the same method can be applied to the sand sole.
If you’re not intending to skin the underside of the fish, then it’s definitely a good idea to remove the tiny scales – as they tend to get everywhere…
Cooking sand sole
We find the best way of cooking sand sole is to place the fish under a super grill with nothing more than salt, pepper and some melted butter – which we continue to apply a few more times during the cooking process.
Cooking times will depend on the size of your fish, and the heat of your grill – but for a fish of around 350g in weight you’re looking at about six to eight minutes.
There’s no need to turn the fish, and once cooked, cover and leave to rest for a couple of minutes.
Apply a final drizzle of melted butter and serve with simply boiled potatoes seasoned with sea salt and a good flurry of black pepper, some green beans – and a nice cold glass of white wine.
Seasonality
April to December is sand sole season. Although bear in mind early-season sand sole might be weakened from spawning.
Sustainability
Read more on the latest Marine Conservation Society Good Fish Guide ratings.