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Megrim sole with smoked bacon, fennel and cockles

Name: Megrim sole with smoked bacon, fennel and cockles
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 250g cockles; 50ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil; 1 fennel bulb, cut into 1cm cubes; 1 medium megrim sole, head, tail and skirt removed; 20g unsalted butter; Juice ½ lemon 100g British free-range smoked bacon lardons; 10g capers, rinsed and drained; Small bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped

By: Harry's Shack

Published: 5 Apr 16
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Megrim sole with smoked bacon, fennel and cockles

Capers, smoked bacon and fennel enhance the subtle seafood flavours in this quick fish supper recipe from Harry’s Shack in Northern Ireland.

Easy
February 2016

Test kitchen approved

Serves 2
Hands-on time 20 min

Capers, smoked bacon and fennel enhance the subtle seafood flavours in this quick fish supper recipe from Harry’s Shack in Northern Ireland.

Gluten-free recipes

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 484kcals
Fat: 30.7g (4.9g saturated)
Protein: 48.3g
Carbohydrates: 2g (1.7g sugars)
Fibre: 3.2g
Salt: 2.5g

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Ingredients

250g cockles
50ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil
1 fennel bulb, cut into 1cm cubes
1 medium megrim sole, head, tail and skirt removed
20g unsalted butter
Juice ½ lemon 100g British free-range smoked bacon lardons
10g capers, rinsed and drained
Small bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped

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Method

Put the cockles and a splash of water in a covered pan and heat until just opened. Set aside to cool. Once cool, discard any closed cockles, then remove the meat from the rest (discard the shells).
Pour half the rapeseed oil into a small frying pan. Fry the fennel for 5 minutes until soft, then remove from the pan (don’t wash it) and set aside to cool.
Put a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, then fry the sole in the remaining oil for 3 minutes on each side. Once both sides are golden, add the butter to the pan and a squeeze of lemon juice, then spoon the mixture over the fish a few times.

While the sole is cooking, fry the diced bacon in the small set-aside pan on a medium heat until golden, add the reserved fennel along with the capers and cockle meat, then remove from the heat. Add the chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. Put the sole on a large plate, skin-side up, then spoon the bacon and cockle mixture over the fish. Serve with mashed potato, if you like.

Recipe from February 2016 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 484kcals
Fat: 30.7g (4.9g saturated)
Protein: 48.3g
Carbohydrates: 2g (1.7g sugars)
Fibre: 3.2g
Salt: 2.5g

delicious. tips

If you can’t find cockles, use palourde clams or brown shrimps instead. This recipe is also good with lemon sole or plaice (the cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fish).