When I first read Man in the Iron Mask, I agonized over the fact that there didn’t seem to be any distinctive entrees in the book. Sure, there was a brief mention of quail, partridge, and other fowl (but only in passing). I went back to combing through the text, worried I wouldn’t be able to find anything, when I suddenly stumbled upon an idea: the alley of limes.

Five different times in the book, Dumas mentions that Athos likes to walk with his son down a path lined with lime trees on their estate. It’s where they have important conversations about Raoul’s future, and Athos’ increasing difficulty with walking the path is used to show how his age affects him.

Limes themselves aren’t an entree, but tilapia meunière is. It’s a variation of sole meunière, a simple, classic French fish dish that is traditionally served with lemon sauce (I used tilapia instead of sole because it’s easier to get). And Bon Appetit has a great recipe for sole meunière. I just swapped the lemon for lime, and I had the perfect entree.

The butter sauce is mild and delicate, with just a hint of bite from the lime. The acidity of the citrus cuts through the fat of the fish, resulting in a delicate dish fit for a refined nobleman like Athos! 🙂

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Tilapia Meunière with Lime

— The Man in the Iron Mask

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INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tilapia filets
• salt
• pepper
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp butter, separated
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• sliced lime, for garnish

      

Makes 4 tilapia filets

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INSTRUCTIONS:

1. 1. Rinse your filets and pat them dry with a paper towel. Dust both sides of each filet with salt and pepper.
      
   2. Pour your flour into a large dish and dredge each fillet through the flour, shaking off the excess. Place the coated fillets on a platter.
      
   3. Heat the oil in an iron skillet on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add 2 tbsp of butter and swirl it in the pan until melted. When the butter stops actively foaming, place two filets in the skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove the finished filets to a serving platter and cook the remaining two filets in a similar fashion.
      
   4. Discard the drippings from the skillet and wipe clean with a paper towel (don’t forget this part, or you’ll have brown flour grit in your sauce—yuck!).
   5. Place the remaining butter in the skillet and cook until melted and lightly golden (this should take just a couple minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the parsley and lime juice. Drizzle the sauce over the fish or serve it on the side. Place lime slices on each filet for garnish.
      
   6. Serve to a count at his fine French estate, near his avenue of lime trees.
      
      

      

      

       

 

Pair them with our Three Musketeers recipes
for the ultimate French food experience! 🙂

Milady de Winter’s Soup from the Three Musketeers

French Hot Chocolate from the Three Musketeers

3 Musketeers Candy Bars

Drunken Ham

Aramis Omelets