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Fish, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Sole Dugléré with rice

Sole Dugléré with rice is a fish dish poached in white wine with tomatoes, shallots and cream, served over rice. It takes 40 minutes for 4 people, has a medium difficulty level, and costs about €5.80 per person. Success comes down to gently poaching the fish and seeding the tomatoes well so the sauce stays smooth rather than watery or sharp.

Tonight, a touch of chef's elegance, sole Dugléré poached in white wine with tomato, shallots and cream.

Sole Dugléré with rice
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€5.80
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer, Fall

Dugléré sauce is that cream lightly tinted pink by tomato, scented with white wine and softened shallots, draped over sole fillets that have just finished poaching. The fish stays tender and almost silky, because it cooks gently in the liquid rather than in a hot pan. The rice soaks up the sauce without ever hiding it, and fresh parsley adds the green note that lifts the whole dish.

This is a dish to save for an evening when you have a bit more time, a relaxed Friday night or a Sunday when you're having people over. The sole needs attention while it poaches, so it's not the quickest recipe in your week, but the result really does look like something from a restaurant. Kids used to milder flavors might find the tomato a little sharp, so it's better suited to adults or more adventurous older kids.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Sole fillets 8

Fruits and vegetables

  • Tomatoes 3
  • Shallots 3
  • Parsley 0.5 bunch

Pantry

  • Dry white wine 20 cl
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Heavy cream 15 cl
  • Butter 40 g

Allergens Fish, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Blanch the tomatoes for 10 seconds in boiling water, peel them, seed them and cut them into small dice.

    Scoring an X at the base of the tomatoes makes peeling easier.

  2. Melt the chopped shallots in part of the butter in a sauté pan, then lay the salted and peppered sole fillets on top.

    Fold the fillets in half so they stay nice and thick.

  3. Add the white wine and diced tomatoes, cover and let it poach at a gentle simmer. 8 min

    Keep the heat low, the liquid should never actually boil.

  4. Remove the fillets and keep them warm, reduce the cooking liquid with the cream, then finish with the cold butter. 5 min

    Whisk off the heat for a glossy sauce.

  5. Cook the rice in salted water and serve it with the fillets topped with sauce and parsley. 11 min

    Keep the rice warm under a towel, the grains finish plumping up.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick sole fillets that are firm and similar in size, so they all poach at the same rate without any drying out.
  • Don't salt the fillets too early, since salt draws water out of the fish and thins the sauce as it cooks.
  • If the sauce is still too thin after reducing, whisk in the cold butter a little at a time, it thickens the sauce without breaking it.

The variations

  • Swap the sole for lemon sole or whiting fillets, the poaching method and sauce work the same way.
  • For a faster version, use canned drained chopped tomatoes, which saves you the peeling and seeding step.
  • Serve the Dugléré sauce over fresh pasta or steamed potatoes instead of rice, for a different side.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine, the same one used for cooking
  • Steamed asparagus spears as a starter
  • A simple green salad on the side

Storage

Keep leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 days, since poached fish doesn't keep very long. Freezing isn't recommended, as the cream sauce breaks down when thawed and the fish turns mushy. Reheat very gently over low heat or in a bain-marie without boiling, so the sauce doesn't split.

Questions about this dish

Can you make Dugléré sauce ahead of time?

You can prepare the tomato and shallot base ahead and reheat it gently. It's best to poach the fish and finish the sauce with cream right before serving, to keep the fillets silky.

How do you keep the sauce from splitting?

Always keep the heat gentle, and never let it boil once you've added the cream and butter. Whisk off the heat when adding the cold butter, it binds the sauce without breaking it.

Can you use light cream instead of heavy cream?

Yes, but the sauce will be a bit less rich and less stable when reduced. A thick heavy cream gives a result closer to the original recipe.

Why do you need to seed the tomatoes carefully?

Tomato seeds and juice add too much liquid and acidity to the sauce. Without them, the Dugléré sauce stays well bound and balanced in flavor.

How long does it take to make sole Dugléré with rice?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in sole Dugléré with rice?

About 640 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 sole Dugléré with rice cost?

About €5.80 per serving, or €23.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

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

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