A quick and easy recipe for fish sautéed in olive oil with Italian herbs and fresh tomatoes.
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
Please welcome Hank as he shares one of his favorite ways of preparing fish with fresh garden tomatoes. ~ Elise
This is a deceptively simple dish that requires a little attention when cooking. You cook the fish very gently in the pan and then make a warm vinaigrette with the tomatoes and olive oil.
You may notice that this recipe calls for a quarter cup of olive oil. This may seem like a lot, but the oil forms the base of the sauce for the fish. You will also need it to baste the fish fillets during cooking.
With this method, you never turn the fish over. You cook the other side of the fillet by brushing it with hot oil. The result is a more delicate flavor that goes a long way in preventing your fish from falling apart.
Cod fried in olive oil with fresh tomatoes
This recipe works with a wide variety of fish. We’ve done it with Pacific cod, but any lean white fish — walleye, sole, pollock, haddock, redfish, etc. — will work, as will the oilier mackerel or bluefish.
We recommend using a thin fillet for this recipe. The thicker fillets require more time to cook and therefore more time to baste.
ingredients
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1 pound thin skinless fish fillets
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Salt
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1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
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2 large fresh tomatoes, cut into chunks
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2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
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A squirt of Tabasco or other hot sauce
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Black pepper to taste
method
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Prepare fillets:
Remove any pinbones from the fillets and pat dry. Salt the fish fillets well and arrange on a cutting board.
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Sear fish on one side:
Heat the olive oil in a skillet and heat over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the fish fillets, which should sizzle slightly. Cook undisturbed for 90 seconds.
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Baste fish with hot pan oil:
When you see the bottom of the fish fillets becoming opaque, tilt the pan and use a large spoon to brush the tops of the fish with the hot oil. Repeat for about 3 minutes until the tops of the fillets start to flake off.
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Add tomato, spices:
Add the tomato chunks, Italian seasoning, and a dash of Tabasco. Swirl around in pan to combine and cook for 90 seconds. Turn off the heater.
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Toss the tomatoes to emulsify the sauce:
Put a fish fillet on everyone’s plate. Toss the tomatoes in the pan and season with black pepper; This swirling should emulsify the sauce. Spread some tomatoes and sauce for everyone and serve immediately.
Serve with crusty bread and a dry rosé wine.
Links:
Tuna and Tomato Salad with Sunflower Seeds – by Kalyn’s Kitchen
Fish with Warm Tomato and Olive Vinaigrette – by Chez Us
Spanish Fish with Tomatoes – by Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
