Cornish Dover Sole

Name: Cornish Dover Sole | Premium Day-Boat Fish | FINE & WILD UK
Brand: REACH FOODS
SKU: DSOLE300
Price: 30.0 GBP
Availability: OutOfStock
Rating: 5.0 (4 reviews)

5.0

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars

4 Reviews

£36.00

250g 300g 350g

Variant

Cornwall, UK Skinned, trimmed, bone-in — ready to cook Wild-caught

Day-boat Dover sole from Cornwall, skinned and trimmed with the bone left in. Firm, sweet, close-textured white flesh — the fish that meunière was written for. Landed by small Cornish boats, vacuum-packed and blast-frozen within hours of the catch so it arrives in the condition a good kitchen expects.

Cornish Dover Sole

£36.00

Whole Dover sole (Solea solea), day-boat caught off the Cornish coast, skinned, trimmed, gutted, and blast-frozen with the central bone left in. Dover sole is widely regarded as the finest flatfish in European cookery — the flesh is firm, white, and close-textured with a clean, sweet flavour that holds its own against butter, brown shrimp, capers, and the classic sauces of French cuisine. It is one of very few fish that actually improves with a day or two of ageing, and one of the reasons it has held its place at the top of restaurant menus for generations.

These fish are landed by small day boats working the waters off Cornwall and delivered within hours of the catch. Each sole arrives already skinned and trimmed — ready to cook whole on the bone, which is the best way to preserve moisture and flavour during cooking. The bone lifts away cleanly once cooked, leaving two neat fillets per side. Available in four sizes from 200g to 350g, with the larger fish offering thicker fillets that are easier to handle in the pan. Dover sole is the definitive fish for meunière, but it is equally at home grilled, roasted, or poached and served with a sauce vierge or beurre noisette.

Producer: Day-boat caught by small Cornish vessels fishing in local waters. Each fish is individually handled, prepared, vacuum-packed, and blast-frozen at -30°C within hours of landing.

Storage: Store frozen at -18°C or below. Once thawed, refrigerate and cook within 4 days of delivery. Do not refreeze after thawing.

Allergens: Fish.

Thawing: Remove from the vacuum pack and place on a plate or tray in the fridge. Allow 6–8 hours or overnight to thaw fully. Pat dry with kitchen paper before cooking — a dry surface is essential for a proper meunière.

Sole meunière (the classic): Season the sole on both sides with salt and a little white pepper, then dust lightly in plain flour, shaking off the excess. Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a generous knob of butter and a splash of oil (the oil prevents the butter from burning). When the butter foams, lay the fish in presentation-side down. Cook for 3–4 minutes without moving until golden underneath. Turn carefully with a fish slice and cook for a further 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a warm plate. Wipe the pan clean, add fresh butter, and heat until it turns a light hazelnut brown — this is your beurre noisette. Add a squeeze of lemon, a scattering of capers, and a handful of chopped parsley. Spoon the butter over the fish and serve immediately.

Grilling: Preheat the grill to high. Brush the sole lightly with melted butter or oil and season well. Grill for 4–5 minutes per side depending on thickness. The flesh should be opaque and lift easily from the bone.

Oven-roasting: Preheat to 200°C. Place the sole in a lightly buttered roasting tin, season, and dot with butter. Roast for 10–12 minutes. This method works well if you want to add accompaniments to the tin — cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, and a splash of white wine all complement Dover sole.

Poaching: Bring a court-bouillon or light fish stock to a bare simmer in a pan or roasting tin large enough to hold the sole flat. Lower the fish in gently and poach for 8–10 minutes. Remove with a slotted fish slice. Serve with a sauce vierge, beurre blanc, or simply with brown shrimp butter.

Serving note: Dover sole is best cooked on the bone — it holds moisture, delivers more flavour, and the bone lifts out in one piece once cooked. The four fillets (two per side) separate cleanly with a knife and fork at the table.

Order Cut-Off Times & Delivery Date Selection

Orders placed before 2 PM (Monday to Friday) are dispatched the same day, unless you select a future delivery date at checkout.

Our Delivery Service

We use reliable third-party express courier services and high-quality insulated packaging. While our couriers are generally excellent, occasional delays can happen. We pack everything to stay fresh, even if transit takes a little longer.

Time-Sensitive & Event Orders

Can we guarantee delivery on a specific day? Unfortunately not - we rely on third-party couriers and can't control their schedules. All items leave us in perfect condition with good use-by dates, but final timing depends on the courier.

If your order is for a specific event, let us know in the notes section at checkout. We can often dispatch a day earlier to give you the best chance of timely arrival.

DELIVERY Changes After Dispatch

Once dispatched, your package is with the courier and we're unable to redirect it or change delivery details.

Saturday Delivery

Saturday delivery is available, though please note our couriers don't operate phone support at weekends and our office is closed. For event-critical orders, a weekday delivery gives us more flexibility to help if any issues arise.

Full delivery details and shipping rates: here

Description

Whole Dover sole (Solea solea), day-boat caught off the Cornish coast, skinned, trimmed, gutted, and blast-frozen with the central bone left in. Dover sole is widely regarded as the finest flatfish in European cookery — the flesh is firm, white, and close-textured with a clean, sweet flavour that holds its own against butter, brown shrimp, capers, and the classic sauces of French cuisine. It is one of very few fish that actually improves with a day or two of ageing, and one of the reasons it has held its place at the top of restaurant menus for generations.

These fish are landed by small day boats working the waters off Cornwall and delivered within hours of the catch. Each sole arrives already skinned and trimmed — ready to cook whole on the bone, which is the best way to preserve moisture and flavour during cooking. The bone lifts away cleanly once cooked, leaving two neat fillets per side. Available in four sizes from 200g to 350g, with the larger fish offering thicker fillets that are easier to handle in the pan. Dover sole is the definitive fish for meunière, but it is equally at home grilled, roasted, or poached and served with a sauce vierge or beurre noisette.

Producer: Day-boat caught by small Cornish vessels fishing in local waters. Each fish is individually handled, prepared, vacuum-packed, and blast-frozen at -30°C within hours of landing.

Storage: Store frozen at -18°C or below. Once thawed, refrigerate and cook within 4 days of delivery. Do not refreeze after thawing.

Allergens: Fish.

Preparation / Cooking

Thawing: Remove from the vacuum pack and place on a plate or tray in the fridge. Allow 6–8 hours or overnight to thaw fully. Pat dry with kitchen paper before cooking — a dry surface is essential for a proper meunière.

Sole meunière (the classic): Season the sole on both sides with salt and a little white pepper, then dust lightly in plain flour, shaking off the excess. Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a generous knob of butter and a splash of oil (the oil prevents the butter from burning). When the butter foams, lay the fish in presentation-side down. Cook for 3–4 minutes without moving until golden underneath. Turn carefully with a fish slice and cook for a further 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a warm plate. Wipe the pan clean, add fresh butter, and heat until it turns a light hazelnut brown — this is your beurre noisette. Add a squeeze of lemon, a scattering of capers, and a handful of chopped parsley. Spoon the butter over the fish and serve immediately.

Grilling: Preheat the grill to high. Brush the sole lightly with melted butter or oil and season well. Grill for 4–5 minutes per side depending on thickness. The flesh should be opaque and lift easily from the bone.

Oven-roasting: Preheat to 200°C. Place the sole in a lightly buttered roasting tin, season, and dot with butter. Roast for 10–12 minutes. This method works well if you want to add accompaniments to the tin — cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, and a splash of white wine all complement Dover sole.

Poaching: Bring a court-bouillon or light fish stock to a bare simmer in a pan or roasting tin large enough to hold the sole flat. Lower the fish in gently and poach for 8–10 minutes. Remove with a slotted fish slice. Serve with a sauce vierge, beurre blanc, or simply with brown shrimp butter.

Serving note: Dover sole is best cooked on the bone — it holds moisture, delivers more flavour, and the bone lifts out in one piece once cooked. The four fillets (two per side) separate cleanly with a knife and fork at the table.

Delivery

Order Cut-Off Times & Delivery Date Selection

Orders placed before 2 PM (Monday to Friday) are dispatched the same day, unless you select a future delivery date at checkout.

Our Delivery Service

We use reliable third-party express courier services and high-quality insulated packaging. While our couriers are generally excellent, occasional delays can happen. We pack everything to stay fresh, even if transit takes a little longer.

Time-Sensitive & Event Orders

Can we guarantee delivery on a specific day? Unfortunately not - we rely on third-party couriers and can't control their schedules. All items leave us in perfect condition with good use-by dates, but final timing depends on the courier.

If your order is for a specific event, let us know in the notes section at checkout. We can often dispatch a day earlier to give you the best chance of timely arrival.

DELIVERY Changes After Dispatch

Once dispatched, your package is with the courier and we're unable to redirect it or change delivery details.

Saturday Delivery

Saturday delivery is available, though please note our couriers don't operate phone support at weekends and our office is closed. For event-critical orders, a weekday delivery gives us more flexibility to help if any issues arise.

Full delivery details and shipping rates: here

5.0

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars

Based on 4 reviews

Total 5 star reviews: 4

Total 4 star reviews: 0

Total 3 star reviews: 0

Total 2 star reviews: 0

Total 1 star reviews: 0

4 reviews

Sort

Lesley R.
Verified Buyer
I recommend this product
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
1 year ago
5 Stars
Excellent
Was this helpful?
Stephen R.
Verified Buyer
I recommend this product
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
1 year ago
5 Stars
Good Friday lunch with Ratte Potatoes, English Asparagus & Peas, Amalfi Lemon & Tartare sauce.
The Dover Fillets were just divine.
Was this helpful?
Angus W.
Verified Buyer
I recommend this product
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
1 year ago
5 Stars
Very well prepared & delivered, so quite easy to prepare at home for any classic Dover Sole dish.
Was this helpful?
Bi M.
Verified Buyer
I recommend this product
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
1 year ago
5 Stars
An absolutely fabulous fish. Superb taste and texture. Would definitely recommend.
Was this helpful?