Mediterranean Baked Fish with Tomatoes and Capers
A rich, complex sauce adds Mediterranean flavor to simple and healthy baked fish served with lemony orzo...
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Equipment
- 12" cast iron skillet
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tsp. garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, minced
- ½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 1 teaspoon dried anise seed
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped - or 1 teaspoon dried leaves
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons tapenade - or homemade tapenade
- 1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- sea salt/fresh ground pepper
Fish
- tomato and caper sauce - above
- 24 ounces firm white fish fillets - see Ingredients in Post
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled - more or less according to preference
- Italian parsley - to garnish
Lemony Orzo
- 3 cups chicken/vegetable stock on low heat
- 1 shallot - minced
- a drizzle of olive oil
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- zest and juice of one lemon
- sea salt/fresh ground pepper - taste before adding more salt!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees (375 convection).
Sauce
- Add olive oil to a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic, shallots, crushed red pepper, and anchovy paste (if using). Saute until fragrant, and shallots are nearly translucent.
- Add anise seed, and dried oregano leaves if using. Stir to combine, and saute about 1 minute.
- Add capers, tapenade, tomatoes, and fresh oregano if using. Stir well.
- Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes (more or less).
Fish
- Select a pan that will keep the fish fillets cozy but not crowded. Some overlap is fine.
- Ladle about 2/3 of the tomato sauce into the pan, and spread evenly across the bottom. Arrange fish in a single layer. Again, some overlap is fine.
- Ladle the remaining sauce over top of the fish down the center of the pan.
- Place in the hot oven. Cook 5-10 minutes until the fish begins to look opaque. While it bakes, start the orzo. The broth should be hot already.
- When fish begins to look opaque, sprinkle with crumbled feta, and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. Be careful to not overcook. I have used tilapia and flounder fillets, and they typically require a total cooking time of 10-15 minutes on convection, and that is equivalent to about 12-18 minutes total in a standard oven. Of course the thickness of the fillets determines the cooking time. Remove from the oven and finish the orzo.
Lemony Orzo
- To a medium sauce pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and the shallots over medium high heat. Saute until shallots are nearly translucent.
- Add the orzo. Stir to coat.
- Zest the lemon and reserve. Squeeze the juice (without seeds) over the orzo. Stir again.
- Begin to add hot broth/stock to the pan a ladle full at a time. Allow the liquid to absorb before adding additional. When the pasta is al dente, STOP adding liquid. You don't want it to be mushy! Stir in the reserved zest.
To Serve
- To each plate, carefully add a fish fillet with a spatula. Add additional sauce from the pan if necessary. Serve the Lemony Orzo alongside. Garnish fish and orzo with chopped Italian parsley.
Notes
Use crushed red pepper to taste, or omit entirely. I use 1/2 teaspoon, but we like the heat!
Dried oregano leaves are fine in place of fresh. I wouldn't suggest ground.
I watch sodium levels, and with the tapenade and capers, the sauce (and the fish) don't really need any additional salt for our taste. Make sure you always check for seasoning.
Nutrition
Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 21g
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or star rating! Email us with any questions: tamara@beyondmeresustenance.com