This is a very easy recipe and the fish always turns out nice and moist. I normally use cod but halibut as per the recipe is great too. Any white fish would work, just not a full flavored fish like perhaps salmon.
Make sure your sauce is reduced before you use it in the recipe. The fish will release some juices as it bakes so if your sauce is not reduced enough ahead of time, it will be runny when the fish is finished baking.
Halibut with Tomatoes and Oil Cured Olives
1 1/2 pounds halibut, cut into 4 even pieces
20 yellow and red cherry tomatoes, halved
10 pitted oil-cured black olives, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled, very thinly sliced
Olive oil
Splash of dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
Handful of pine nuts
2 tsp freshly chopped thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley or finely sliced basil as a garnish
1 Preheat the oven to 400F with the rack on the upper 2/3 level.
2 Put some oil in a non-stick skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and sauté just until lightly browned, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the tomatoes and olives, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. After 1 minute, splash in a little white wine and let most of it reduce. Add the thyme and the chicken broth and continue to sauté until the tomatoes are collapsing and the sauce has thickened a bit. Remove the sauce from the heat and pour half of it into a shallow gratin dish.
3 Season the fish on both sides with salt and freshly ground pepper and place it on top of the sauce in the gratin dish. Drizzle the rest of the sauce and juices over the top of the fish.
4 Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top, put in the oven, and bake just until the fish is cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the fish with a generous scoop of the
tomato sauce and a sprinkling of chopped parsley or basil.
Serves 4.
For another healthy, easy fish recipe, try a Mexican take and make Veracruz fish. Again, any mild white fish would work in this recipe.
2 boneless red snapper filets, about 7 oz each
Cayenne, salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp caper brine
1 large jalapeno, sliced, seeded
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup sliced Castelvetrano green olives, sliced
2 Tbsp fresh chopped oregano or 1 tsp dried
Juice of 1 lime
1 Lightly grease or spray an ovenproof casserole dish that is large enough to accommodate the fish comfortably. The fish and veggies should not be crowded.
2 Preheat the oven to 425F. Season the fish with salt, pepper, and cayenne.
3 Put the oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions, sprinkle with salt,
and sauté for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the capers and their juice and sauté for 30 seconds.
4 Add the tomatoes and jalapeno and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the olives and oregano and sauté for 1 minute.
5 Put half the veggies in the casserole dish. Arrange the seasoned fish over the veggies. Pour the remaining veggies on top the fish. Drizzle with the lime juice.
6 Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, just until the fish flakes easy, and its juices run clear.
Note: You could also make this recipe in two individual gratin dishes.
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