LONDON: Billingsgate Market and Lemon Sole

The freshest, and most affordable, fish is the kind that takes waking up at 5am for. In Michel Roux: A Life in the Kitchen, Michel describes how his father used to drag him out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to buy produce from Billingsgate Market for their family restaurant. My housemate Michael had been trying to convince me for awhile that the visit was worth sacrificing sleep for and I finally relented after reading Michel Roux's cookbook. 

Billingsgate market at Canary Wharf is an experience. Fishmongers are brusque, curt people, probably weathered by a life of fishing in harsh conditions. Even so, Michael and I came home from Billingsgate with a hefty bounty of healthy pink salmon, fresh cod and two perfect dover soles. 

Billingsgate Market

I have an unexplainable penchant for Jamie Oliver's recipes and this time I tried his tray- baked lemon dover sole. Despite it's boney texture, the sole came out juicy, lightly flavoured and perfectly cooked through. I can see why Jamie chose to add olives to his recipe - something I chose to forgo because the only time I can eat them is when they're blended and mixed into my thai rice - as the sole came out slightly under salted.

I wouldn't visit Billingsgate market again (I need my sleep) but I now know what a good restauranteur has to go through. After all, a truly great dish would be nothing without the freshest ingredients. 

Baked and ready to eat! 

Tray-Baked Lemon Sole 

Jamie Oliver's recipe 

Ingredients 

• 4 whole lemon soles, from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger
• 2 handfuls red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 handful fresh oregano or basil, leaves picked
• 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• zest of halved lemons
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 handful black olives, destoned and chopped
• 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method 

This is really simple. First of all give your fish a wash, then with a sharp knife score across each fish down to the bone at 2.5cm/1 inch intervals on both sides. This allows flavour to penetrate the fish and lets the fish's juices come out. 

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Get yourself a bowl and add the tomatoes, garlic, oregano or basil, spring onions, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper and the zest and juice of 1 lemon to it. Loosen with a couple of good tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and mix well, then spread over the bottom of a large roasting tray. Use one that will fit all 4 fish quite snugly (or you can use two smaller trays). Place the fish on top – top to tail.Now add the olives, parsley, juice and zest of the second lemon to the bowl that the tomatoes were in. Loosen with a little olive oil and then divide this mixture between the fish, placing an equal amount on the centre of each. Cook in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. To check whether they're done, take the tip of a knife and push it into the thickest part of the fish. When done, the flesh will easily pull away from the bone.

Once cooked, remove the fish from the oven and allow them to rest for 3 or 4 minutes while you get your guests round the table, serve them some wine and dress your salad. Then you can come back to the fish. Divide them up at the table on to 4 plates, making sure that everyone gets some tomatoes and juice spooned over the top of the fish. Lovely!