Clam-stuffed Sole Fillets (Filets de Sole Farcis aux Clams)

• 8 skinless, boneless, equal-size fillets of sole or flounder, about 1 1/2 pounds
• Salt to taste, if desired
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 13 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 13 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 pint drained shucked littleneck clams
• 1 1/2 cups fine fresh bread crumbs
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Sprinkle the sole pieces with salt and pepper.
3. Set aside.
4. Heat two tablespoons of the butter in a small skillet and add the onion, green pepper and celery.
5. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables give up their liquid and the liquid evaporates.
6. Do not brown.
7. Add the wine and cook about a minute.
8. Meanwhile, put the clams on a flat surface and chop them coarsely.
9. Add the clams to the skillet and stir.
10. Remove from the heat.
11. Add the bread crumbs, egg, parsley, salt and pepper.
12. Place four of the sole pieces, skinned side down, on a flat surface.
13. Spoon an equal portion of the filling on top of each and smooth it over neatly so that it extends to the edges of the fillets.
14. Cover each fillet piece with a second fillet, this time skinned side up.
15. Butter a baking dish with one tablespoon of butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
16. Place the filled fillets in the baking dish.
17. Melt the remaining three tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan and add the lemon juice.
18. Pour it over the filled fillets.Hold a sieve over the fillets and sprinkle the paprika through it over the fillets.
19. Brush the fillet tops with the butter in the pan.
20. Place the fillets in the oven and bake 10 minutes.

skinless, salt, freshly ground pepper, butter, onion, green pepper, celery, white wine, littleneck clams, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, paprika

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1562 (may not work)