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Fish, European

Ostend sole with shrimp and mussel cream sauce and steamed potatoes

Ostend sole is a dish of poached sole fillets covered in a cream sauce with gray shrimp and mussels, served with steamed potatoes. For 4 people, it takes 50 minutes and medium skill, at a cost of €7.20 per person. The key to success is saving the strained fish poaching liquid to build the sauce.

Tonight I'm suggesting Ostend sole, poached fillets covered in a cream sauce with gray shrimp and mussels, served with steamed potatoes.

Ostend sole with shrimp and mussel cream sauce and steamed potatoes
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€7.20
Calories per person
650 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Fall

Ostend sole plays on the contrast between the delicate, flaky fish and the light snap of gray shrimp, while the mussels bring their briny flavor to the cream sauce. The result is mild and fragrant without being heavy, with a sauce that coats the fillets without drowning them.

This is a dish for a Sunday or an evening when you have some time ahead of you, not really something to throw together on a busy weeknight. It works well for seafood lovers, whether you're cooking for family or for guests you want to impress with proper fish cookery.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Sole fillets 8
  • Mussels 500 g
  • Peeled gray shrimp 150 g

Pantry

  • Dry white wine 15 cl
  • Flouroften in the pantry 30 g
  • Lemon juice 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Shallots 2
  • Potatoes 1 kg
  • Parsley 4 sprigs

Dairy

  • Butter 50 g
  • Heavy cream 20 cl

Allergens Fish, Shellfish, Mollusks, Lactose, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Open the mussels in a pot with the wine and shallot, shell them and keep their strained liquid. 8 min

    Discard any that don't open.

  2. Roll the sole fillets onto themselves and place them in a dish with the mussel liquid, a bit of water and the lemon juice. Poach at a bare simmer. 8 min

    Just a simmer, the fish turns rubbery if it boils.

  3. Steam the potatoes. 20 min

    They're ready when a knife tip slides in without resistance.

  4. Melt the butter, add the flour, then the strained poaching liquid and the cream, and let it thicken. 8 min

    Whisk constantly for a smooth sauce.

  5. Add the mussels and shrimp to the sauce, cover the sole fillets with it and serve with the steamed potatoes and parsley. 3 min

    Warm the shrimp for just a minute, they toughen fast.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick sole fillets that are firm and have no strong smell, that's the sign of fresh fish that will hold up during poaching.
  • Keep the liquid at a bare simmer while poaching the fish, a hard boil toughens the flesh and dries out the fillets.
  • Cook the potatoes alongside the sauce so everything is hot at serving time, this sauce doesn't wait well.

The variations

  • Swap the gray shrimp for peeled pink shrimp if you can't find them, the flavor will be slightly less distinctive but the texture holds up fine.
  • For a version without shellfish, skip the mussels and boost the sauce with a bit of fish stock instead of their liquid.
  • For a quicker version, use pre-cooked, pre-shelled mussels from the store, you'll save about ten minutes of prep.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • A simple green salad
  • Fresh bread for the sauce

Storage

Keep leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 1 to 2 days at most, fish and shellfish don't keep long. Freezing isn't recommended since the cream sauce and poached fish don't hold up well after thawing. Reheat gently in a pan or over a water bath, without letting the sauce boil.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different fish instead of sole?

Yes, cod or lemon sole fillets work well in this recipe. Choose a firm white fish that holds together during poaching.

How do you keep the fish from turning rubbery?

Poach at a bare simmer only, never at a rolling boil. Watch the timing, 8 minutes is usually enough for medium sized rolled fillets.

Can you make the sauce ahead of time?

You can make the sauce up to an hour ahead and keep it warm over a water bath. Add the shrimp and mussels only right before serving so they stay tender.

What white wine works best for cooking the mussels?

A simple dry white wine is all you need, no need for anything fancy. A muscadet or basic cooking white wine works perfectly well.

How long does it take to make an Ostend style sole, poached fillets with a shrimp and mussel cream sauce, served with steamed potatoes?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in an Ostend style sole, poached fillets with a shrimp and mussel cream sauce, served with steamed potatoes?

About 650 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does an Ostend style sole, poached fillets with a shrimp and mussel cream sauce, served with steamed potatoes cost?

About €7.20 per serving, or €28.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, shellfish, mollusks, lactose, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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