Sole-Wrapped Asparagus with Tangerine Beurre Blanc

Elegant fish bundles featuring tender sole fillets wrapped around crisp-tender asparagus, served with a luxurious tangerine-infused butter sauce. This sophisticated dish combines the delicate flavors of sole with bright citrus and rich beurre blanc.

4 servings

1 hr 5 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
•2 tablespoons chopped shallot
•4 strips tangerine zest
•1 lb medium asparagus
•4 fillets gray sole
•½ cup water
•½ cup fresh tangerine juice
•1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
•1 stick cold unsalted butter
•¼ teaspoon salt
•⅛ teaspoon cayenne
•½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Cooking Instructions

1.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
10 min
2.
Brush a 13- by 9-inch roasting pan with some of melted butter, then sprinkle shallot and zest in pan.
3 min
3.
Trim asparagus to about 7 inches long, then peel spears starting from 2 inches below tip of each.
10 min
4.
Arrange fish fillets, skinned sides up, on a work surface and season with salt and pepper. Lay 5 or 6 asparagus perpendicularly across 1 fillet and wrap fish around them to make a bundle. Repeat with remaining fillets and asparagus. Transfer bundles, seam sides down, to roasting pan and brush fish with remaining melted butter. Season with salt and pepper, then add water to pan. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake until fish is just cooked through and asparagus is crisp-tender, about 20 minutes.
20 min
5.
Boil tangerine juice with shallot in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderately low, then whisk in 1 tablespoon butter, whisking constantly. Add remaining butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly, adding each piece before previous one has completely melted, and lifting pan from heat occasionally to cool mixture. Remove from heat and stir in salt, cayenne, and lemon juice.
15 min
6.
Transfer fish with a slotted spatula to a platter and reserve pan juices. Cover fish with foil. Discard zest, then pour pan juices into a 10-inch skillet and boil over moderately high heat until reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk into beurre blanc.
5 min
7.
Blot any liquid accumulated on platter with paper towels, then spoon sauce over fish.
2 min

Ingredients

•1½ tablespoons unsalted butter

•2 tablespoons chopped shallot

•4 strips tangerine zest

•1 lb medium asparagus

•4 fillets gray sole

•½ cup water

•½ cup fresh tangerine juice

•1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

•1 stick cold unsalted butter

•¼ teaspoon salt

•⅛ teaspoon cayenne

•½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Cooking Instructions

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.

10 min

Brush a 13- by 9-inch roasting pan with some of melted butter, then sprinkle shallot and zest in pan.

3 min

Trim asparagus to about 7 inches long, then peel spears starting from 2 inches below tip of each.

10 min

Arrange fish fillets, skinned sides up, on a work surface and season with salt and pepper. Lay 5 or 6 asparagus perpendicularly across 1 fillet and wrap fish around them to make a bundle. Repeat with remaining fillets and asparagus. Transfer bundles, seam sides down, to roasting pan and brush fish with remaining melted butter. Season with salt and pepper, then add water to pan. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake until fish is just cooked through and asparagus is crisp-tender, about 20 minutes.

20 min

Boil tangerine juice with shallot in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderately low, then whisk in 1 tablespoon butter, whisking constantly. Add remaining butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly, adding each piece before previous one has completely melted, and lifting pan from heat occasionally to cool mixture. Remove from heat and stir in salt, cayenne, and lemon juice.

15 min

Transfer fish with a slotted spatula to a platter and reserve pan juices. Cover fish with foil. Discard zest, then pour pan juices into a 10-inch skillet and boil over moderately high heat until reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk into beurre blanc.

5 min

Blot any liquid accumulated on platter with paper towels, then spoon sauce over fish.

2 min