# Petrale Sole with Summer Caponata, Roasted Potatoes and Fried Artichokes with Vegan XO > Golden petrale sole gets a generous spoonful of silky eggplant caponata, with summer tomatoes, briny capers and a bright sweet-sour finish. Crisp roasted potatoes and fried artichokes dotted with savory vegan XO make this a summer seafood supper with plenty of crunch. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/pan-seared-petrale-sole-with-sicilian-caponata-roasted-potatoes-fried-artichokes - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2023-07-25 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: pescatarian ![Petrale Sole with Summer Caponata, Roasted Potatoes and Fried Artichokes with Vegan XO](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F257974e41e1dc12f.jpg) ## Pan-Seared Petrale Sole A thin cassava coating gives delicate sole a golden surface without a heavy crust. Cook it last so the fish stays moist and the coating remains crisp. ### Ingredients - 1.5 lb skinless, boneless petrale sole fillets - 1/3 cup cassava flour - 3 tablespoons ghee, divided - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - 1 lemon, cut into wedges ### Instructions 1. Pat the sole thoroughly dry and check for small bones. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Put the cassava flour on a plate. Immediately before cooking, lightly dredge the fillets and shake off all excess. 3. Heat half the ghee in a large nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Add only enough fish to fit without crowding. 4. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until golden underneath. Turn carefully with a fish spatula and cook for another 1–2 minutes, depending on thickness, until just opaque and easily flaked; the thickest part should reach 145°F. 5. Transfer to warm plates and repeat with the remaining ghee and fish. Serve promptly with lemon wedges. ### Notes - Thin sole fillets cook quickly; reduce the heat if the coating colors before the fish is cooked. ## Summer Eggplant Caponata Roasted eggplant keeps its shape while absorbing a glossy, sweet-sour tomato dressing. Celery, capers and olives bring contrast to the mild fish. ### Ingredients - 1.25 lb eggplant, cut into 1-inch chunks - 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided - 1 small red onion, diced - 2 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - 8 oz ripe cherry tomatoes, halved - 1/3 cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped - 2 tablespoons drained capers - 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar - 2 teaspoons honey - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper - 1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn, divided - 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, divided ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the eggplant with 3 tablespoons olive oil, the salt and pepper. Spread on a sheet pan without crowding. 2. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until browned at the edges and creamy inside. 3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and celery and gently sweat for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until softened but not browned. 4. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for 6–8 minutes, until they collapse but retain some texture. 5. Stir in the olives, capers, vinegar and honey. Simmer for 2 minutes, then gently fold in the roasted eggplant. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, adding a spoonful of water if the mixture looks dry. 6. Let stand off heat for at least 10 minutes. Taste for salt and vinegar, then fold in half the basil and parsley. Reserve the remaining herbs for plating. ### Notes - The finished caponata should be glossy and spoonable, not soupy. Add vinegar a teaspoon at a time if it needs more brightness. - Caponata can be made a day ahead and served warm or at room temperature. ## Crisp Roasted Potatoes Parboiling and roughing up the cut surfaces creates crisp edges around fluffy centers. Skin-on chunks match the rustic texture of the caponata. ### Ingredients - 1.75 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, skin on, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks - 3 tablespoons olive oil - 1 tablespoon kosher salt for the boiling water - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt for roasting, or to taste - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - to taste flaky salt for finishing ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Cover the potatoes with cold water in a saucepan and add the boiling-water salt. 2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the outside yields to a knife but the centers remain firm. 3. Drain thoroughly and let steam-dry for 5 minutes. Shake gently in the pot to roughen the edges. 4. Toss with olive oil, roasting salt and pepper. Spread on a sheet pan with a cut side down and space between the pieces. 5. Roast for 35–45 minutes, turning after about 25 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp with tender centers. Finish with a little flaky salt. ### Notes - Use separate sheet pans for the potatoes and eggplant so neither steams. Rotate the pans between oven racks halfway through cooking. ## Fried Artichokes with Noma Projects Vegan XO Par-cooking tenderizes the artichoke hearts before frying crisps the leaves. Add the XO after frying so its concentrated savory bits do not scorch. ### Ingredients - 4 medium fresh globe artichokes - 1 lemon, halved - 1 tablespoon kosher salt for simmering - 6 cups avocado oil, approximately, for deep-frying - 3 tablespoons Noma Projects vegan XO, or to taste - to taste flaky salt ### Instructions 1. Prepare a bowl of cold water with the juice of half the lemon. Trim the artichokes down to tender pale leaves, cut off the tough upper third and peel the stems. Quarter lengthwise and remove every trace of the fuzzy choke. Rub cut surfaces with the remaining lemon and place in the acidulated water. 2. Bring a saucepan of fresh water to a simmer and add the kosher salt. Add the artichokes and simmer gently for 12–18 minutes, until a knife enters the heart with slight resistance. 3. Drain cut-side down on a rack. Cool, then pat thoroughly dry between the leaves and let air-dry for at least 20 minutes. There should be no visible surface water before frying. 4. Pour avocado oil into a heavy pot to a depth of about 2 inches, leaving the pot no more than half full. Heat to 350°F. 5. Fry in small batches for 4–6 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown with crisp, slightly opened leaves. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches. 6. Drain on a rack and season lightly with flaky salt. Spoon small dabs of vegan XO over the hot artichokes immediately before serving. ### Notes - Trim generously: frying will not make tough outer leaves edible. - The XO is concentrated and salty; taste it before adding extra salt. Check the jar's ingredients if serving guests with allergies or gluten restrictions. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Caponata benefits from resting, while potatoes can tolerate a short hold. Saving the artichoke frying and sole for the end keeps both crisp. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F. Trim the artichokes and begin simmering them. Cut the potatoes and start their parboil. 2. 0:15 — Drain the artichokes and leave them to dry thoroughly. Drain and roughen the potatoes, then put them in the oven. 3. 0:25 — Prepare and roast the eggplant on a separate tray. Start the caponata's onion, celery and tomato mixture on the stovetop. 4. 0:45 — Turn the potatoes and rotate the oven trays. Fold the cooked eggplant into the caponata when tender, finish seasoning and let it rest. 5. 0:55 — Heat the frying oil and prepare the sole for dredging. Check the potatoes and keep them uncovered in a low oven once crisp. 6. 1:05 — Fry the artichokes and drain on a rack. Dredge and sear the sole immediately afterward; with two cooks, do these tasks in parallel. 7. 1:15 — Plate the fish and caponata, add the potatoes and artichokes, and finish with XO and fresh herbs. ### Notes - For a calmer service, make the caponata the day before and trim, simmer and dry the artichokes several hours ahead. Refrigerate the artichokes until needed and pat dry again before frying. ## Plating Keeping the potatoes and artichokes beside the fish protects their crisp surfaces. A loose spoonful of caponata connects the components without burying everything. ### Instructions 1. Place the sole slightly off-center on each warm plate. Spoon warm or room-temperature caponata over part of the fish, leaving some golden crust visible. 2. Arrange roasted potatoes along one side and fried artichokes toward the top of the plate. 3. Dot the artichokes with vegan XO. Scatter the reserved torn basil and parsley over the caponata and potatoes. 4. Serve immediately with lemon wedges alongside. ## Leftover Path Separate storage preserves the caponata's flavor and prevents its moisture from softening the fried and roasted components. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate components separately in covered containers within 2 hours. Use the fish within 2 days and the vegetables within 3–4 days. 2. Reheat potatoes and artichokes on a rack or sheet pan at 400°F for 10–15 minutes, until hot and crisp at the edges. 3. Warm the sole gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a small splash of water, or serve it cold with room-temperature caponata. 4. Use extra caponata with eggs or alongside another piece of simply cooked fish. Add fresh herbs and a little vinegar to refresh it. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.