Adapted from Lidey Heuck’s recipe for NY Times Cooking, this way of cooking fish is divine all year round. The flavors of cherry tomatoes, garlic, shallots, sherry vinegar and honey infuse the fish for a sweet, flavorful and satisfying dish. Cod, halibut or haddock work best—or whatever similar white fish is freshest. Candy-sweet summer tomatoes are a particular treat, but any cherry tomatoes will burst with flavor once they’re roasted with these ingredients. Serve over rice or with an array of roasted vegetables and herby potatoes.
Ingredients:
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
A couple of shallots or one large one, minced or thinly sliced
2 or 3 cloves or garlic, minced
A glug of olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
A generous grind of salt
A moderate grind of black pepper
4 mild white fish fillets, such as cod or halibut
Handful of chopped fresh parsley
Juice of half a lemon
Instructions:
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the tomatoes, shallots, and garlic in a baking dish large enough to accommodate the fish without crowding. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Pour over the tomatoes and toss together. Roast until the tomatoes have collapsed and the shallots are translucent, about 15 minutes.
- As the tomatoes roast, pat the fish dry with paper towels, brush all over with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Add the fish to the pan on top of the tomatoes, nestling them onto the softening tomatoes and sauce. Sprinkle the parsley over the fish. Roast until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 10 or 12 minutes.
- Squeeze lemon juice over the fish and serve with generous helpings of the succulent tomatoes and sauce from the pan.
Shown here with an array of farmer’s market veggies: sautéed spinach; carrots and fennel roasted with fresh thyme; and purple potatoes boiled and tossed with olive oil, lemon, and the herby fennel tops.