Ian Fleming’s connection with the seaside town of Dieppe in northern France began well before 1942, when, in his role as personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence during the Second World War, he witnessed the disasterous raid on German positions by a force of commandos (including his own intelligence-gathering assault unit in its first outing).

As I’ve learnt while reading Nicholas Shakespeare’s wonderful new biography of Ian Fleming, during his somewhat carefree, Woosterish period before the war, in between stockbroking, entertaining at his residence at 22B Ebury Street in London, and weekend parties at Joyce Grove in Nettlebed, Ian Fleming would descend with his friends on the resorts of the northern French coast – Le Touquet, Deauville and Dieppe – gambling at at the casinos, swimming, playing golf, and dining well. Nicholas Shakespeare records that, standing on the deck of HMS Fernie off Dieppe in 1942, Fleming recalled his earlier visits to the town, where he’d enjoy delicious meals of filets de sole Dieppoise.

Having read this, naturally my thoughts turned to recreating the dish. My recipe below is inspired by a discription of the dish by Vivian Rowe in Return to Normandy, published in 1951.

Serves 2

• 2 lemon sole fillets
• 150ml white wine
• 30g butter
• Raw, peeled prawns (I used 170g)
• Mussels (I used 1 kg)
• Salt and black pepper

For the sauce

• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp butter
• 100ml single cream
• 100ml liquid from the saucepan in which the shellfish has been cooking
• 2-3 tbsp (or approx. 50ml) liquid in which the sole has been cooking

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan-assisted; 390 fahrenheit). Place the fillets in a large oven dish. Season the fish with a good pinch of salt and pepper and dot with butter, then pour in the wine. Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

While the fish is cooking, fill a large saucepan with enough water to cover the bottom to a depth of approx. 2cm. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and place the pan over the heat to bring the water to the boil. Once boiling, drop in the prawns and mussels, cover the pan, and steam the shellfish for about 5 minutes, until the prawns have cooked and the mussels have opened.

Remove the sole from the oven, transfer the fillets to a dish and keep them warm by covering the dish with foil, a plate or lid. Drain the liquid from the shellfish pan into a bowl, return the shellfish to the pan and cover the pan to keep the shellfish warm.

In a small saucepan, mix the butter and flour over a medium heat until they are fully combined and a smooth paste has been created. Turn the heat to low. Pour in the shellfish liquid and the liquid from the fillets and stir into the paste. Add the cream. Stir the sauce until it is smooth and bubbling away. Remove from the heat.

To serve, transfer the fillets to individual plates, spoon the sauce liberally over the fish, and surround the fish with as many prawns and mussels as preferred. If you like, garnish with a pinch of finely chopped herbs. Delicious!