What is the Sole
Sole is a fishery product that is widespread and consumed almost all over the globe.
The sole is known both for the typical shape and anatomical structure (result of the evolution that allows a totally horizontal posture, or on one side), and for the delicacy and thinness of the meat. Sole is also one of the simplest fish to be raw and at the end of cooking.
Description
the sole is flat, brown on the right side, with active mimicry, and white on the left (blind side on which it rests almost constantly at the bottom).
The sole retains many anatomical traits typical of "common fish". The viscera are contained in the belly (placed on one side), and the caudal fin is positioned in the traditional position, even if slightly underdeveloped; on the other hand, the dorsal and anal fins are enlarged (especially the dorsal) on the whole marginal profile (head excluded) adapting to the animal's swimming motion and compensating the propulsive function of the small caudal. Only one is left of the two pectoral fins, the one on the right side.
The peculiar characteristic of the sole remains the conformation of the head and the ocular disposition. While the mandible and jaws are organized in a traditional manner, in the course of evolution the eye that "should" be placed on the left side has moved laterally to approach the right. The gill operculum of the side on which it rests on the bottom seems less developed.
The sole has mainly nocturnal habits, when it comes out into the open to eat; in daylight hours it is stationed at the bottom where it digs small niches to cover up and camouflage itself.
The common sole reaches dimensions between 30 and 50cm in length.
Distribution, reproduction and fishing
the common sole is present throughout the Mediterranean basin (and until recently, with excellent density in the Adriatic Sea), in the Black Sea, in the Atlantic Ocean and in the Baltic Sea.
NB : For organoleptic advantage (so they say ...), the sole of the Mediterranean sea remains smaller than the oceanic ones.
Depending on the area, the sole can colonize shallow or almost abysmal depths; it does not disdain the brackish water with a muddy bottom or at most sandy. All these aspects would indicate as the "ideal" area for the life of the sole the northern Adriatic Sea, in particular the area between the Venice lagoon and the Po river delta. Indeed, Italy and in particular Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Emilia Romagna and Marche have covered most of the national consumption and the export of sole in all the Mediterranean countries. However, recently, the condition seems to change drastically. The intensity of the fishing (professional with the train) and the use of turbo-blowers for the removal of clams (not always lawful), have destroyed the sole population in the upper Adriatic.
NB : The sole, more than the other coastal fish, suffers the use of turbo blowers because it reproduces ONLY on the sandy or muddy bottom near the breakers.
Food regime and predators
The sole feeds mainly on annelids, worms, small crustaceans, small molluscs and small fish. Its natural predators are mainly other fish or, in the valleys and on the river deltas, the water birds.
Gastronomic aspects
From the culinary point of view, sole is one of the most popular fish in Italy and in the world.
Let's start by pointing out that the sole requires a decidedly undemanding cleaning; even, for grilling, the scaling and a small incision on the belly may be sufficient to extract the few viscera.
If you want to prepare sole for more complex processing, you need to remove the fins (dorsal, anal, pectoral and caudal) using a pair of scissors; at this point, the procedure differs mainly based on the specific preparation.
It is very effective to present a sole (perhaps cooked in a pan) already deprived of brown skin (the one on the right side); it is therefore sufficient to apply a small incision before the tail and pull the tag in the opposite direction to the direction of the bone. Now, if you have not done it before, cut into the belly and remove the viscera and gills; also in this case it is essential to scale the portion of clear skin still present.
Finally and a little more challenging, the process of raw filleting of sole. After removing scales, fins and viscera, you can choose to peel it completely (fillets without skin) or leave the tag adhered to the meat. In any case, the filleting is carried out using a scannino knife (thin and very sharp) that will longitudinally and centrally engrave the sides of the sole. Finally, slide the blade against the thorns (on one side and then on the other) making two threads on each side.
The favorite cooking techniques for sole are:
- Lessa, served hot or cold (it is better to boil in a large pan and not in a saucepan, to avoid breaking the fish)
- In a pan (sauté), with extra virgin olive oil or butter, a little garlic (dressed and to be removed early), white wine, salt, white pepper and plenty of fresh parsley (some flour it to get the "mugnaia" effect)
- For irons, in a gas or charcoal grill: natural and slightly greasy (taking care NOT to break the meat or the skin when turning it over the irons) or with a light "panure" based on grated bread, extra virgin olive oil, fresh parsley, garlic, salt and white pepper (some add a little grated Parmesan cheese and dry white wine)
- In the oven, both static and ventilated: it is recommended to introduce it at the maximum temperature and to cook it ONLY for the time strictly necessary. With this method it is possible, taking care of the individual cooking times, to enrich the sole with: cherry tomatoes, julienne courgettes etc.
- Fritta: ATTENTION! Small sole (or other very similar species) is one of the ingredients of the famous Paranza; personally I do not recommend trying out this preparation because the collection of small specimens (sexually immature, therefore not yet reproduced) does not represent an ethically correct and / or bio-sustainable behavior.
The techniques and cooking methods mentioned above for the consumption of sole can also represent an intermediate step for the formulation of complex dishes; a classic example is that of filled pasta although, personal opinion, "wasting" a sole for a similar purpose is a questionable culinary choice. To this end, other fish species of greater yield and less waste of the NOT edible portion, such as mullet, monkfish, oceanic groupers, etc., are more suitable.
Nutritional properties
Sole is a lean and low-fat fish; lends itself to low-calorie slimming diets and - as it provides modest amounts of cholesterol and boasts a clear prevalence of unsaturated fatty acids on saturated - it is frequently used in structuring dietary regimes against hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. The good concentrations of essential fatty acids of the ω3 group (not shown in the table) are also useful in the fight against hypertension.
Small traces of simple carbohydrates are inferred but the dominant macronutrient is undoubtedly the peptide one. The proteins are also of high biological value, have the "limiting" (present in smaller quantities) amino acid tryptophan, and abound in glutamic acid, aspartic acid and lysine.
Among the mineral salts, those most present are potassium and phosphorus, while with regard to vitamins the content of niacin or vit is appreciable. PP.
Nutritional values
Nutritional composition of frozen sole, fresh and sole, Reference values of INRAN Food Composition Tables
| Sole, fresh | Frozen sole | ||
| Edible part | 48.0% | 48.0% | |
| water | 79, 5g | 79, 4g | |
| Protein | 16, 9g | 17, 3g | |
| Prevailing amino acids | B.C. glutamic, aspartic and lysine | B.C. glutamic, aspartic and lysine | |
| Limiting amino acid | Tryptophan | Tryptophan | |
| Lipids TOT | 1.4G | 1, 3g | |
| Saturated fatty acids | 0, 18mg | 0, 18mg | |
| Monounsaturated fatty acids | 0, 27mg | 0, 27mg | |
| Polyunsaturated fatty acids | 0, 79mg | 0, 79mg | |
| Cholesterol | 25, 0mg | 25, 0mg | |
| TOT Carbohydrates | 0.8g | 0.1g | |
| Complex glucides | 0.0g | 0.0g | |
| Soluble sugars | 0.8g | 0.1g | |
| TOT food fiber | 0.0g | 0.0g | |
| Soluble fiber | 0.0g | 0.0g | |
| Insoluble fiber | 0.0g | 0.0g | |
| Power | 83, 0kcal | 81, 0kcal | |
| Sodium | 120, 0mg | 120, 0mg | |
| Potassium | 280, 0mg | 280, 0mg | |
| Iron | 0, 8mg | 0.4mg | |
| Football | 12, 0mg | 11, 0mg | |
| Phosphorus | 195, 0mg | 174, 0mg | |
| Thiamine | 0.05 mg | 0, 08mg | |
| Riboflavin | 0.05 mg | 0, 12mg | |
| Niacin | 1, 70mg | 3, 80mg | |
| Vitamin A | tr | 0, 0μg | |
| C vitamin | 0, 0mg | 0, 0mg | |
| Vitamin E | - mg | - mg | |
