Common sole
Encyclopedia
The common sole, Dover sole, or black sole, Solea solea, is a species
of flatfish
in the Soleidae
family.
It has a preference for relatively shallow water with sand or mud covering the bottom.
It is found in the Eastern Atlantic ocean
, from the south of Norway
to Senegal
, and in almost all of the Mediterranean Sea
. In the winter it withdraws to the somewhat warmer waters of the Southern North Sea
.
The small eyes are close to each other on the right-hand side of the body. This gives the fish the possibility of lurking half-buried in the sand for passing prey. The common sole, just like all other flatfish, hatches as an "ordinary" fish with one eye on each side of the body. The young metamorphose to flatfish when they are about one cm long. The common sole approaches a maximum length of approximately 70 cm.
Chefs prize Dover sole for its mild, buttery sweet flavour and versatility and for its ease of filleting. The fish yields fillets that hold together well in a variety of recipes.
The name "Dover" comes from Dover
, the English fishing port landing the most sole in the 19th century.
."
, a quite distinct species with different culinary properties: the Pacific sole has thinner, less firm fillets and sells for a lower price.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of flatfish
Flatfish
The flatfish are an order of ray-finned fish, also called the Heterosomata, sometimes classified as a suborder of Perciformes. In many species, both eyes lie on one side of the head, one or the other migrating through and around the head during development...
in the Soleidae
Soleidae
The true soles are a family, Soleidae, of flatfishes, and include species that live in salt water and fresh water. They are bottom-dwelling fishes feeding on small crustaceans and other invertebrates. Other flatfishes are also known as soles....
family.
It has a preference for relatively shallow water with sand or mud covering the bottom.
It is found in the Eastern Atlantic ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, from the south of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, and in almost all of the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. In the winter it withdraws to the somewhat warmer waters of the Southern North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
.
The small eyes are close to each other on the right-hand side of the body. This gives the fish the possibility of lurking half-buried in the sand for passing prey. The common sole, just like all other flatfish, hatches as an "ordinary" fish with one eye on each side of the body. The young metamorphose to flatfish when they are about one cm long. The common sole approaches a maximum length of approximately 70 cm.
Chefs prize Dover sole for its mild, buttery sweet flavour and versatility and for its ease of filleting. The fish yields fillets that hold together well in a variety of recipes.
The name "Dover" comes from Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
, the English fishing port landing the most sole in the 19th century.
Sustainable consumption
In 2010, Greenpeace International has added the common sole to its seafood red list. "The Greenpeace International seafood red list is a list of fish that are commonly sold in supermarkets around the world, and which have a very high risk of being sourced from unsustainable fisheriesFishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
."
Other species named "Dover sole"
Because of its prestige, the name "Dover sole" was borrowed to name the eastern Pacific species Microstomus pacificusMicrostomus pacificus
Dover sole, Microstomus pacificus, is a Pacific flatfish of the flounder family which ranges from Baja California to the Bering Sea. It takes its name from a resemblance to the common sole of Europe, which is often called a 'Dover sole'....
, a quite distinct species with different culinary properties: the Pacific sole has thinner, less firm fillets and sells for a lower price.