Poached Fish with Tomatoes, Capers & Dill

 

Good fish should be cooked simply with minimum 'intervention'.  I have made errors in the past when I ruined a perfect piece of fish by overcooking it in too hot a pan or too long in the oven, making it dry and rubbery.  So remember, gently does it!  For this recipe, white fish fillets are poached no more than a few minutes in a simmering sauce made with a can of cherry tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes), capers, dill and a little butter.  Try it with your favourite local fish varieties such as Snapper, Groper, Red Emperor or Barramundi if you live in Western Australia.  Serve them with mashed potatoes or quinoa and a salad.  You've got yourself a simple and healthy dinner.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 400g / 14oz white fish fillets
• 400g / 14oz tinned cherry tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• a handful of dill sprigs
• 1 heaped tablespoon of capers
• 1 tablespoon butter

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan and add the can of tomatoes.  Bring it to a boil with a pinch of salt, stirring gently.
2. Add a few dill sprigs and the capers.
3. Turn the heat to low.  Place the fish in a single layer in the pan.  Add a small knob of butter on top of each fillet.
4. Cover the pan and let the fish steam in the simmering sauce for about 5 minutes, or until the fish are just cooked. (The fillets should be opaque rather than translucent in appearance, and should flake easily.)
5. Serve the fish with some of the sauce, and garnish by more dill sprigs on top.

Source (with adaptations): Justine Schofield's Everyday Gourmet