Sole Meunière: Classic Pan-Fried Sole with Brown Butter and Lemon vs Traditional Baked Arbroath Smokie

Both dishes pair fish with butter, lemon and parsley, but they handle them very differently. Sole Meunière is dredged in flour and pan-fried in foaming, browned butter, giving a crisp golden crust over delicate, flaky flesh, finished with a nutty brown-butter sauce sharpened by lemon juice and parsley. The Arbroath Smokie is smoked haddock baked gently with olive oil and dots of butter that melt into the flesh, keeping it moist until it flakes easily. Here parsley and a squeeze of lemon arrive only at the end, letting the smoky fish lead.