Recently, I worked on an on-location two-day motion shoot. I was one of four food stylist employed for the two days. We worked from the compact, professional, mobile kitchen called Maindish, it was rather cosy! They were 15 hour days with few opportunities to sit down (who said food styling was glamorous?). I’m always amazed at the shear number of people it takes to make a commercial happen, 60, in this case! By the way, on location also means cramped, because you’re having to squeeze in everyone and everything into relatively small spaces, it really is quite the orchestration!
I found this recipe on Epicurious; I chose it because I had most of the ingredients at home (along with an inordinate amount of sun-dried tomatoes). It was absolutely delicious, so I decided to document it for the future, plus, I made a few changes.
Mediterranean Fish in a Tomato Sriracha Sauce
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- splash of EVOO
- 70 g (1/2 medium) sweet onion, peeled and finely sliced
- 90 g (~1/2 medium) fennel bulb, finely sliced
- 1/2 tsp sriracha sauce (add more if you like heat)
- 250 mL (1 cup) tomato purée from fresh or canned tomatoes (I used homemade)
- 30 g (~1/4 cup) sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2oo g white fish fillets
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- A handful of baby spinach
- Black olives (I used Niçoisse)
Ingredients for the topping:
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley
- Small handful of spinach
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 small clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped or grated
- Zest of 1 lemon, plus a squeeze of juice
Directions:
- In a medium-sized, frying pan (I used cast iron), heat a splash of olive oil and sauté the onion, fennel and sun-dried tomatoes for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Combine the tomato purée with the sriracha sauce and stir well. Add the tomato purée to the frying pan and simmer for 4 to 5 additional minutes. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.
- Place the fish on top of the tomato mixture, spooning a little of the sauce over the fish. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked.
- Meanwhile, in the small bowl of a food processor combine the parsley, spinach, sundried tomatoes, garlic, lemon zest and juice and process until chopped and well mixed. Set aside.
- When the fish is completely cooked, carefully stir in the olives (putted and sliced, if you’re using larger olives) and baby spinach and warm through (spinach should wilt).
- To serve, place the fish on a spoonful or two of cauliflower mash or polenta and dollop the tomato sauce over the hot fish. Dot the herb topping over the fish and sauce to finish.
Notes:
- This combination of vegetables and tomatoes would work very well with chicken, but you’ll need to increase your cooking time.
- I used Tilapia for this particular recipe, but haddock, cod, sea bass or monkfish would also work well.
- The first time I made this recipe, I did not have fennel so I substituted 2 stalks of celery, it was equally as delicious.
- I used sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, you may use dry but you might need to soak them in water so they are not chewy.
- To reduce calories, omit the olives and use non-stick spray instead of olive oil.
- If you use ordinary black olives, pit them and cut them into thirds.
- The weights I suggest in the recipe are not carved in stone, just gives you an idea of proportions for two.
Wonderful Mediterranean dish, Eva. Makes me think already of summer…. and I love all the ingredients: fennel, dried tomatoes, sriracha…
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Thank you Sissi, it is a frequent favourite over here.
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Love the mashup of Thai and Med. I didn’t know there was such a thing as an inordinate amount of sun-dried tomatoes! GREG
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Wow, what a terrific dish! That sauce looks dynamite. Great with fish, and I like your idea of pairing it with chicken, too. Thanks!
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Thank you kindly John, I have yet to try it with chicken but I’m certain it would be equally as tasty.
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Looks delicious! What do you have it paired with? I can’t quite tell if it’s mashed potatoes or polenta or what?
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Hi Jeff, I made a roasted garlic cauliflower mash but mashed potatoes would be equally as delicious!
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I thought it might be cauliflower. That looks like such a great dish.
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Thanks Jeff. The depth of flavour in the sauce is fantastic!
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I find tilapia a very bland tasting fish so I think something like this sauce would bring it to life.
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My husband doesn’t love fish but he actually loves this dish.
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Love a dish that combines fennel with seafood…it is such a good marriage of flavors.
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Thank you Karen, it really is wonderful.
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Sounds delicious! What type of fish did you use?
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Hi Dana, I used tilapia for this but I’ve also had it with wild haddock. And firm whitefish would be good.
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I’ve got some monkfish coming in for me this weekend, this sounds like a great use for it I must say!
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I love monkfish, first time I tried it was in Lyon France at our cooking class! Chef wrapped it in bacon and then pan seared it and finished it in the oven and made a lovely green olive sauce, it was TDF! I hope you love the flavours of this recipe as much as we do!
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Goodness that sounds lovely!!!
I’ll keep that in mind for next time, happy Easter to you guys ❤
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Very precise with the weight of the veggies Eva. Whatever happened to just chuck it in? It all sounds like a great combo.
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Hi David, we’ve been trying to shed a few pounds so measuring is essential, feel free to chuck it in as you wish!
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I love both fish and mediterranean flavour..so this is perfect for me.
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Thanks Angie, I particularly love the contrast of the rich tomato sauce and the parsley spinach topping.
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Fish and I aren’t the best of friends but my goodness it sounds good. John would love the fish and I’m in love with the sauce.
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The sauce would be wonderful on chicken too.
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That looks wonderful and flavour packed Eva. And yes it is amazing how many people need to come together to produce things for tv or movies! 😀
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What a marvelous, flavorful sauce! And I love that this can all be made in one skillet!!!
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